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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25740460">Five's Favorite</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BakeItTillYouMakeIt/pseuds/BakeItTillYouMakeIt'>BakeItTillYouMakeIt</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Umbrella Academy (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Assassination, Assassins &amp; Hitmen, Blood and Gore, Car Sex, Child Neglect, Creepy The Handler (Umbrella Academy), Drug Withdrawal, Drugs, F/M, Family Dynamics, Hearing Voices, Hurt Number Five | The Boy, Implied/Referenced Torture, Imprisonment, Kidnapping, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Lesbian Vanya Hargreeves, Naked Cuddling, Number Five | The Boy Has Issues, Number Five | The Boy Needs A Hug, Number Five | The Boy has PTSD, Oral Sex, Organs, Past Child Abuse, Past Torture, Post-Coital Cuddling, Power Dynamics, Protective Number Five | The Boy, Pseudo-Incest, Reginald Hargreeves' A+ Parenting, Rough Sex, Sex, Sex Toys, Shower Sex, Spanking, Substance Abuse, Torture, Touch-Starved, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Vietnam War, Violence, Vivisection</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:30:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>137,430</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25740460</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BakeItTillYouMakeIt/pseuds/BakeItTillYouMakeIt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was no secret that Number Five held massive amounts of disdain for his family members, no matter how much he claimed to love them. There was, however, an exception found in Number Eight, named Letitia by Grace. Before his untimely disappearance, the two were thick as thieves and joined at the hip in more ways than one. However, after living in a post-apocalyptic hell for 42 years, will Five be able to come back to Letitia and find the same solace in her as he did before?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dave/Klaus Hargreeves, Dolores/Number Five | The Boy (Umbrella Academy), Hazel/Agnes Rofa, Number Five | The Boy (Umbrella Academy)/Original Female Character(s), Raymond Chestnut/Allison Hargreeves, Vanya Hargreeves/Sissy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>365</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>422</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Deep Umbrella Academy</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. We Only See Each Other at Weddings and Funerals (Part 1)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Everyone is aged up by 3 years for the sole reason of I don't want to write smut for Five in his thirteen-year-old body. If you don't like it, that's cool, I won't be offended.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>On the 24th of March, 2019, three men and three women gathered at an expansive townhouse in the center of New York over a period of two days for the funeral of their adopted father, Reginald Hargreeves, who had passed away on the 21st from heart failure. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>First came the eighth child that Reginald Hargreeves had adopted, Letitia “Number Eight” Hargreeves. Having lived at the house even after turning eighteen, the definition of her arrival was the short trip from her bedroom to the room where her father had slept and died in. She was petite, reaching four feet and ten inches in height, with blonde hair and doe-like brown eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther “Number One” Hargreeves came next, which was surprising considering the 238,900-plus miles he had been forced to cross to get to the house from the moon, where their father had sent him four years prior. He was huge, towering over Letitia at six feet and five inches when he arrived, with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After them came the rest of their siblings, with Diego “Number Two”, Klaus “Number Four”, Allison “Number Three”, and Vanya “Number Seven” Hargreeves arriving in that particular order. In fact, it was unsurprising that they arrived in this order, especially for Vanya as she had tortured herself for over a day with the decision to either go to or skip the funeral. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the end, Vanya decided to attend, and arrived at her childhood home at ten-thirty in the morning on the 24th. She had come in a cab, unable to own a car on her measly salary from the orchestra she performed in and the violin lessons she taught, and for a short while just stood in front of the house, staring at it. Finally, as she heard another car honk at a nearby streetlight, she forced herself to climb the steps and enter the house, shivering as she entered the cool air within. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The foyer was just how she remembered it, with marble pillars, dark wood accents, archways soaring above them, and wrought iron chandeliers dotting the ceiling to bathe the room in dim light. Vanya looked around at the room she had not seen since she was eighteen before a figure in a room to her right caught her attention. Her eyes widened and she moved closer to the archway that led to the parlor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey mom,” She called out, her voice timid and small as she addressed the figure opposite her. Vanya frowned as her mother, the android known as Grace, didn’t move to acknowledge her seventh child. “Mom?” She tried again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya?” Another voice called out, forcing the girl in question to turn to the main stairway leading up from the foyer, where another woman was making her way down the steps. “You’re actually here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This woman was Number Three, more commonly known as Allison amongst the eight siblings. She was the more outgoing of the three daughters, with vibrant beach blonde curls and a marine blue blouse atop her black pants and heels. Vanya watched her approach with cautious recognition. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey Allison,” She greeted weakly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her sister flashed her the smallest of smiles in response. “Hey, sis.” The two girls stared at each other as Allison came to a stop a few feet away from Vanya. A soft chuckle escaped her before she pulled Vanya into a quick hug. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They pulled apart as a scoff echoed from past an archway. “Ah,” They looked over to see Number Two, Diego, glaring at the both of them. “What is she doing here?” He demanded, his voice bitter and spiteful as his eyes slid to rest only on Vanya. “You don’t belong here, not after what you did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison rolled her eyes and watched Diego cross the foyer to go up the main staircase. “You’re seriously going to do this today?” She wondered coldly. Diego ignored her, continuing his path upwards. Unable to resist the urge, Allison sneered at his outfit, a dark leather suit that gave knock-off Batman vibes. “Way to dress for the occasion by the way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego smirked as he turned a corner. “At least I’m wearing black,” He called out over his shoulder, earning an eye roll from Allison. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya winced and looked down at the floor, her previous anxiety returning in a flash. “You know what,” Allison looked over with a frown, “I- Maybe he’s right and I shouldn’t-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Forget about him,” Allison interjected. Vanya looked up at her and watched her sister’s lips quirk up in the smallest of smiles. “I’m glad you’re here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neither of them said anything else for several moments until Vanya’s eyes glanced up to the top of the stairs. “Where’s-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Letitia?” Allison finished. Vanya nodded. “She’s been handling the arrangements up until when Luther arrived, so I imagine she’s getting ready for the service.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya nodded slowly in understanding before moving past Allison to the main living room, where her eyes slid over every object that seemed not to have moved once in the twelve years since she had last been in this house. The only indication that someone had lived here, in fact, was the occasional sweater, book, or other such belongings from Letitia’s wanderings about the house. A sigh escaped Vanya as she walked over to her father’s stretch of bookcases, her eyes and fingers drifting over the spines of the books until she paused in shock. Her hand shook as she reached out and grabbed a particular book from the shelf. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Extra Ordinary: My Life as Number Seven”</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The very book that had isolated Vanya ever further from her siblings upon her publishing it. She sighed as memories of their anger washed over her, memories that she wished didn’t hurt as much as they did. Vanya carefully turned it over in her hands before pulling the front cover open to reveal the note she’d left in this copy, the signed copy she had sent her father when the book was released. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Dad, I figured, why not? V.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Her fingers traced over the letters in sad contemplation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Welcome home, Miss Vanya.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya gasped softly and turned to see the only other family member every child had adored aside from Grace: their chimpanzee turned butler, Pogo. She smiled gently at the sight of him, her autobiography still firmly clenched between her fingers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pogo,” She greeted before walking over to pull him into a hug, which he happily returned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s so good to see you,” He murmured, without a hint of insincerity. Vanya hummed softly and pulled away, watching him look down at her hand. “Ah yes, your autobiography…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you know, um…” She swallowed nervously and looked back up at Pogo. “Did he ever read it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pogo averted his eyes for a moment. “Hmm,” He shook his head no. “Not that I’m aware of.” Vanya swallowed back the tears that were stinging her eyes. “I know that Miss Letitia was adamant that he do so eventually, however.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya’s expression morphed to a smile. While her sister had been none too pleased to see the publication of every detail of their private life, and had in fact seemed terrified at the implications of the book, Vanya knew Letitia had also seen the benefit in it. In fact, there had been several calls from Letitia since the release detailing the parts she most appreciated in an attempt to give a semblance of support to her sibling. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her thoughts faded, however, as she turned to her left and came face to face with the single most painful decoration in the entire home. Above the fireplace, gilded in a gold frame and illuminated by a lamp reminiscent of those in museums, hung a portrait of a boy no older than sixteen. She took a step closer, Pogo following. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How long has it been since Five disappeared?” She asked softly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pogo adjusted his grip on his cane as he stared at the boy’s portrait as well. “It’s been sixteen years, four months, and fourteen days,” He recited, his measurement of the time elapsed perfectly exact. He looked over at Vanya. “Your father and Miss Letitia insisted I keep track.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya nodded in understanding and looked back at the portrait before turning back to Pogo. “You wanna know something stupid?” Pogo watched her curiously, “I always used to leave the lights on for him. I was scared that he would come back, it would be late, and the house would be dark, and he wouldn’t be able to find us so he’d leave again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She took a deep breath and shook her head slowly, the memories of her lights always being on no matter what her father said against it coming back. A soft laugh escaped her at the next memory. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And, every night, I’d make a little snack,” Vanya murmured. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pogo chuckled in response and shook his head fondly. “Oh, I remember your snacks. I’m pretty sure I stepped in half those peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches,” He admitted. They both sighed. “Your father always believed that Number Five was still out there somewhere. He never lost hope.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya’s eyes dimmed at the paranoid and hopeful memories of her father’s mania when it came to Five’s disappearance. “And look where that got him,” She muttered harshly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A short while later, Luther, Diego, and Allison returned to the main floor and joined Vanya in the living room, each of them on a separate chair or sofa. Behind them all, Klaus had descended from their father’s study to take advantage of the copious amounts of alcohol at the bar. Silence reigned as he prepared himself a drink until Diego looked over. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus,” The rail-thin, tattooed man looked up, “Where is Letitia?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Lettie?” His siblings tensed at the pet name, one that had been rarely used in the last sixteen years. “She’s accessorizing, don’t worry about it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Though it seemed impossible, the tension in the room seemed to increase tenfold at his comment. Klaus smirked and went back to crafting his drink while his siblings sat in silence in the center of the room. They were soon interrupted, however, by the soft click of shoes descending the grand staircase. The five of them stood and Klaus walked over with his drink. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is everyone here?” A cool voice echoed through the air as a slip of a figure turned the corner and approached, her body draped in a thick gown of black velvet to combat the April chill. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther glared at the woman as she approached Klaus, who held out a second drink he’d been hiding behind his back, complete with a straw. “Really, Letitia? You couldn’t give our father even the slightest respect and take that damn thing off?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His third sister smirked as she sipped from her drink, a lovely Moscow Mule, and batted her lashes at him. “Well, Luther, I figured wearing something that daddy dearest created just for me was appropriate. Besides, a fifteen-year habit is hard to break.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He scoffed and rolled his eyes in response while Allison and Diego regarded Letitia with little to no reaction and Vanya just smiled sadly. Klaus, however, was delighted to finally have his self-proclaimed ‘best sister’ around to keep him company. They were prevented from partaking in idle chit chat, however, as Luther seemed to come to his senses enough to ignore his sister’s behavior. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s get this started,” He decided. His siblings all turned to him. “I figured we could have a sort of memorial service in the courtyard at sundown.” He waited for confirmation from his siblings that never came. “Say a few words, just at Dad’s favorite spot.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya raised an eyebrow at that. “Dad had a favorite spot?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther frowned. “Yeah, you know, under the oak tree.” His siblings stared back at him confusedly. “We used to sit out there all the time.” Still no reaction. “None of you ever did that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia rolled her eyes. “I did, only when he had a bad day though,” Klaus raised an eyebrow. “His health didn’t suddenly go to shit, guys. He had better days than others, and I would take him out there on the days that weren’t so good.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And you didn’t think to call me?” Luther demanded. “To call any of us?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A scoff escaped Letitia. “I thought about it, just never went through with it,” She admitted. “You seemed to be doing just fine on the moon, after all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really, Tish?” Allison interjected with a scowl. “We deserved a call, all of us did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smirked at her. “Are you sure about that? Seems like a news report got the news across well enough. Besides, am I seriously supposed to believe that you all,” She gestured at her siblings. “Would come and hold dear old dad’s hand? Even I didn’t do that and I live here for fuck’s sake.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tish is right,” Diego chimed. “We’re here now, none of us would’ve wanted to be here anyway,” His eyes flicked to their tallest siblings. “Except for maybe the golden boy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus sighed and shook his head, his mind going numb from the idle back and forth, before looking back at Luther. “Will there be refreshments? Tea? Scones? Cucumber sandwiches are always a winner,” He suggested. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A snicker escaped Letitia. “If there aren’t, I’ll take you to get some later,” She promised, earning a giddy laugh from Klaus. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther glared at them. “No, there won’t be refreshments,” His eyes landed on Klaus’ lit cigarette, “And put that out, Dad didn’t allow smoking in here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison suddenly frowned as Klaus wandered off with Letitia to take a seat. “Is that my skirt?” She demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus took a sip of his drink and looked over confusedly. “What?” Letitia pointed at his legs with her free hand. His eyes widened and he beamed at Allison. “Oh, yeah, this. I found it in your room. It’s a little dated, I know, but it’s very breathy on the bits.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Listen up.” All of them looked over at Luther, who couldn’t hold back the smug gleam in his eyes at the response. “Still some important things that we need to discuss, all right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Like what?” Diego scoffed while raising an eyebrow. Luther rolled his eyes and looked over at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Like the way he died,” Luther pointed out. Letitia’s grip tightened on her glass. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And here we go,” Diego sighed while turning his attention back to the window. Letitia glared at Luther coldly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was heart failure,” She hissed. “Nothing more, nothing less, and if you’re thinking it was anything else then I enjoy watching you explain it cause nothing else would make sense.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Vanya piped up, earning a hearty glare from Diego. “It’s like Letitia said, they said it was a heart attack or something.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“According to the coroner,” Luther interjected, earning a mocking laugh from Letitia, who took another sip of her drink. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, according to the person who determines how people died for a freaking living,” She looked over at Klaus. “You know, that description does make me inclined to trust their decision. What do you think, brother-mine?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus shrugged. “They do seem like the person that would know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther scoffed. “Theoretically.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison raised an eyebrow. “Theoretically?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five pairs of eyes focused on Luther as he winced at Allison’s very slight needling of his thoughts. “Look, I’m just saying, at the very least, something happened. The last time I talked to Dad, he sounded strange.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh wow, maybe because he was old and on his last legs?” Letitia spat coldly. Luther sneered at her. Allison rolled her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Strange how?” She interjected. Luther turned back to her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He sounded on edge. Told me I should be careful who to trust,” He explained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia and Klaus shared a look as they sipped at their drinks. Diego, however, pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Luther, he was a paranoid, bitter old man who was starting to lose what was left of his marbles. It’s probably a good thing the heart thing got him before that did and caused him to drive us all crazy too,” He pointed out. Luther shook his head furiously. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, he must have known something was going to happen,” He stated before rounding on Klaus. “Look, I know you don’t like to do it, but I need you to talk to Dad.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus raised an eyebrow and looked over at Letitia, who promptly burst into giggles alongside him. Their drinks made soft splashing sounds as their shoulders shook with laughter. However, their siblings were far less amused and fixed both of them with glares. Finally, Klaus calmed down enough to reply. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t just call Dad in the afterlife and be like, ‘Dad, could you just stop playing tennis with Hitler for a moment and take a quick call?’” He scoffed. Luther’s glare darkened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Since when? That’s your thing,” He snapped. Klaus rolled his eyes and looked at Letitia, who drummed her fingers against the side of her glass before looking back at Luther. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Since I gave him a fifty to get high so you wouldn’t be able to pull this shit,” She confessed with a smirk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego and Allison’s mouths dropped open in response while Vanya groaned and shook her head. Luther, however, looked incredibly close to decking his sister across the face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You did what?!” He demanded, storming over to Letitia until his face was mere inches from hers. She smiled sweetly in response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How does it feel Luther?” She wondered. “To not be able to order us around for the first time in all the years of us being together? I can’t imagine it’s terribly pleasant.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes glittered with malice as Luther began to tremble with fury. She hummed as he looked back over at Klaus. “You need to sober up, this is important.” Klaus sighed while Luther turned back to the others. “Then there’s the issue of the missing monocle.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego rolled his eyes. “Who gives a shit about a missing monocle?” He muttered under his breath. Letitia and Klaus raised their glasses in a mocking toast. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Exactly,” Everyone turned back to Luther, “It’s worthless. So whoever took it, I think it was personal.” His eyes landed on Letitia. “Someone close to him, someone with a grudge.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus snickered while Letitia finished off her drink before addressing their brother. “You know, Luther, for someone who was supposedly trained in subtlety along with the rest of us, you don’t seem to have retained the skill at all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, it’s pretty obvious you think one of us killed Dad, and that your suspicions are eerily locked on dear old Tish there.” Diego agreed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone froze. Luther winced as his siblings stared at him from their places around the room, some with shock and a few who couldn’t seem to give less of a shit about what was happening. Finally, Klaus broke the silence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You do?” He asked slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How could you think that?” Vanya wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego grinned at Luther. “Great job, Luther. Way to lead,” He drawled with palpable sarcasm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther winced and shook his head. “That’s not what I’m saying,” He tried, but it was too late. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus grabbed Letitia’s hand and began leading her away. “You’re crazy, man. You’re crazy,” He murmured. “C’mon Lettie-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t call me that,” She spat coldly, a harsh glare landing on one of her two, formerly three, favorites. Klaus winced and nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, Tish, let’s go.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther reached out to stop them, but within seconds the two of them, as well as Diego and Vanya, had left the parlor, with Allison following close behind. Soon, he was alone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the afternoon leading up to the memorial passed in a blur, during which Letitia took a well-deserved nap. However, she was jolted from her sleep when a flash of blue light streaked across her closed eyes, forcing them to open just as a clap of thunder echoed through the air. Letitia sat up and reached up to her face, sighing in relief at the sensation before sprinting from her room and down the stairs, where she almost knocked Klaus over. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What happened?!” She demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus shrugged and passed her another drink, which she happily accepted before following him outside to the courtyard, where the rest of her siblings were headed. The two of them passed through the door with ease and gasped at what was in front of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hovering in the sky above the garden, was a massive blue of blue and white energy that thrummed and roared as it shivered in the air. Letitia gasped and moved out in front of her siblings, despite Allison’s warnings. Luther barely reacted and continued watching the blur, until a sudden blow to his side sent him stumbling. He looked over to see Klaus had run away and returned with a fire extinguisher. Diego and Allison spluttered at their brother. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s that gonna do?!” She shrieked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus didn’t respond, instead choosing to heave the bright red cylinder at the blur. WHOOSH. He paled as it disappeared without a trace. KSHH. Klaus yelped and dove behind Letitia as electricity suddenly crackled round the blur. Their eyes widened as a shape appeared on the other side, one of an elderly man. Letitia handed Klaus her drink and held her hands out in front of her defensively. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stay behind me!” She ordered with a glare at her siblings, who thankfully were smart enough to take a step back as the shape within the blur drew closer and closer. Her body trembled with anticipation, her hands began to glow a pale yellow. The shape was almost there. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>THUMP. Letitia’s eyes widened as a body tumbled from the blur and landed on the stone of the courtyard. A moment later, the blur of blue energy disappeared, leaving them standing in the late afternoon glow of the sun. The siblings slowly moved closer to the person, Letitia still in front of all of them. The body groaned. Then, it rose to its feet, and Letitia's mind went blank. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Standing in front of them, perfectly alive and intact it seemed, was Number Five. Letitia took a step back, her powers dissipating as she did so. Her hand reached out blindly and closed around her drink, which she ripped from Klaus to inspect carefully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck did you put in this?” She demanded with a hiss and a pointed glare at Klaus, who was watching her worriedly. “What the actual fuck, Klaus?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think he put anything in it,” Diego started slowly. “Otherwise I wouldn’t also be staring at a teenaged Number Five right now too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia blinked at him and looked at her other siblings. “So, I’m not crazy and I’m not drugged, Five is actually there?” She whispered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her siblings nodded slowly and continued staring at the young man in front of them, who appeared to not have aged a day in the last sixteen years. “Yep, that’s little Number Five, for sure,” Klaus mumbled in shock. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five frowned at them and looked down, his eyes widening as he did so. He looked back up at them. “Shit,” He breathed out. His eyes drifted over all of his siblings, taking in their new appearances, and paused when he reached his favorite. His jaw dropped. “What… the fuck?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia appeared to not have aged a day since he had last seen her. Her skin was still smooth, not a single line on it, and she hadn’t gotten any taller than her four-foot ten-inch frame. The only definite change that he could spot, was the metal band wrapped around her right forearm that extended up to almost her elbow. His eyes narrowed and he took a step over, noting with smug satisfaction that his other siblings moved away on instinct. Even after god knows how long he’d been gone, they knew she was his. The question now was, did she remember that?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus watched from the corner of his eye as Letitia stared at Five, her eyes wide and her chest heaving as she took him in. Next to him, Vanya and Allison were frozen in shock, watching their brother essentially stalk Letitia like a fox and a bunny rabbit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five stopped a foot away from her, his dark green orbs locked on her own chestnut-brown ones. His hand reached up slowly, not a tremor in sight as there had been when he was a silly boy, and cupped her face gently. A shiver went down his spine as she leaned into the touch before turning and pressing her lips to his palm in a gentle kiss. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello again,” He murmured, his thumb gently caressing her cheekbone. Letitia smiled up at him hopefully, her eyes shining as he moved even closer, his hand coming around to cup the back of her head. “How long has it been, darling?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hummed softly at the nickname and reached up with her own hands to smooth down the lapels of his suit, an oversized grey thing from where he’d just traveled from. “Sixteen years, four months, and fourteen days,” She watched as pain flashed across his eyes. “A long time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Too long,” His hand moved down to trap her chin in his grasp, tilting her head up further. Five shivered as her tongue darted out to wet her tempting pink lips. “And you haven’t aged at all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Blame Dad,” Letitia muttered bitterly, her eyes leaving him to glare at the house. “It’s his own damn fault.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther glared at his siblings, having had enough. “He did it to save your life, Letitia,” He snapped, garnering a glare from both her and Five. “Be grateful.” He focused on their previously missing sibling. “And where the hell have you been?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five opened his mouth to respond when Letitia moved out of his grasp to storm over to their “oldest” brother. “He isn’t telling you shit,” She looked over at Five worriedly. “Not until he eats something at the very least.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther opened his mouth to protest, but Klaus cut him off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A marvelous idea, dearest Tish, let us feed the boy!” He proclaimed, his hand wrapping around Letitia’s small one and leading her inside while she snagged Five’s hand in her own. Behind them, their siblings trudged into the kitchen as well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Peanut butter’s in the fridge,” Everyone took a seat as Five began moving about the kitchen per Letitia’s guidance. “Bread’s on top of the cabinets, and marshmallows are in the pantry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, darling,” He murmured with a wink in Letitia’s direction. She smiled back and took a sip of her drink. “Whatcha got there?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Moscow Mule, courtesy of my second favorite,” She explained with a vague gesture at Klaus, who beamed at her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five grinned smugly at the title, a grin that fell as Allison, Luther, Diego, and Vanya took a seat. He smacked the cutting board on the table and began assembling his sandwich. “What’s the date?” Vanya opened her mouth. “The exact date?” He clarified. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya sighed. “The 24th of March,” She answered as Five looked up from the jar of peanut butter, his eyes narrowed. Her brow furrowed as his lips curved in a small yet pleased smile.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good,” He replied before looking back down. Luther looked between Five and the rest of his siblings and sighed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, are we gonna talk about what just happened?” Letitia glared at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut it, Spaceboy, he needs to eat,” She snapped. Luther glared at her while Five watched from his periphery, mostly uninterested in the sibling conflict. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s been seventeen years,” He stated angrily. Letitia rolled her eyes while Luther looked back over at Five. “Seventeen years without any idea where you were or what happened to you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scoffed and shook his head. “It’s been a lot longer than that,” He spat before jumping across the room and grabbing the bag of marshmallows. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther sighed. “I haven’t missed that,” He admitted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smiled fondly at Five. “I have.” Five grinned at her over his shoulder while Diego glanced at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where’d you go?” He wondered. Five sighed and turned before jumping back to the table. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The future,” He ripped open the bag of marshmallows. “It’s shit by the way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus grinned. “Called it!” He cheered. Letitia reached out and patted his knee in congratulations. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five rolled his eyes. “I should’ve listened to the old man,” He shuddered internally at the confession. “You know, jumping through space is one thing, jumping through time is a toss of the dice.” He looked back up at Klaus and noticed the stolen skirt clothing his spindly legs. “Nice dress.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia snorted while Klaus beamed and fiddled with the tassels at the hem. “Danke!” He said happily. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya pinched the bridge of her nose and looked back up at Five. “How did you get back?” She wondered. Letitia looked over at Five, thinking the very same question but not about to demand information so soon after he’d returned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“In the end, I had to project my consciousness forward into a suspended quantum state version of myself that exists across every possible timeline,” He stated, not sparing Vanya a second glance as he continued assembling the sandwich.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego frowned. “That makes no sense.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five rolled his eyes. “Well, it would if you were smarter,” He sniped mockingly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia glared at Diego as he leaped to his feet, knife in hand. Her hand shot out, freezing Diego in place. “Make one wrong move and your intestine will be tied in a knot until you explode from your own shit,” She threatened, earning an impressed stare from Five and disturbed glances from her siblings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus reached out and rested a hand on Letitia’s shoulder. “I think he got the message, dearest sister of mine,” He deduced. Letitia sighed and dropped her hand, releasing Diego and allowing him to fall back into his chair. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther’s gaze moved from Letitia to Five, who couldn’t keep his eyes off the blonde girl. “How long were you there? In the future, I mean.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five hummed to himself. “Forty-two years, give or take,” He estimated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes widened and she set her glass down to reach up and rub her temples slowly. Luther slumped slightly in his chair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So what are you saying? That you’re fifty-eight?” He demanded. Five groaned under his breath at their lack of comprehension. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, my consciousness is fifty-eight. Apparently my body is now sixteen again,” He noted irritatedly. Klaus snickered at his words, prompting Five to fix him with a raised eyebrow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, it’s just that you and precious little Tish really are as close as can be,” He pointed out while reaching out to pinch Letitia's cheek. “Look at this little baby face, it goes so well with yours!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Speaking of,” His eyes narrowed at Letitia, “What the hell happened to you? You mentioned Dad, but I’m gonna need the whole story.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia grinned and looked over at Luther. “Yeah, Luther, how about we tell Five the story? Shall I leave out all the details of how you caused it or should you tell him?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes narrowed in a dangerous glare at their largest sibling, who looked as if he wanted the floor to swallow him whole. Allison moved to stand behind Luther and glared at Letitia. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know it wasn’t his fault, Tish,” She snapped. “It was an accident, and you can’t blame him for that anymore.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s hands clenched into fists and her lips pursed. “I’m sorry, Allison, perhaps you could tell me when throwing someone into the wall so you could take out the boss became an ‘accident’?” Her fingers formed air quotes around the last word. “Because, last I checked, that was called assault.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya winced and turned towards them. “Guys, just get the story over with so we can move on.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison opened her mouth to protest, but Letitia cut her off. “That sounds like a fine idea, Vanya,” She looked back at Five. “Well, when Luther threw me into the wall, my spine shattered pretty horribly and sent a bone fragment on a path towards my heart. Of course, my powers allowed me to move my heart out of the way until we could get home, but I couldn’t make it last. Dad injected me with a serum that put my body into stasis, but he fucked up the dosage and it settled permanently into my body.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes were wide and horrified. “So that means-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I physically age one year for about every ten that I experience,” Letitia finished. “My body won’t give out till I’ve lived for at least a millennia now.” Five didn’t know how to respond. His mouth flapped open and closed like a fish, and eventually, Letitia decided to take pity on him. “Now, tell me how you got stuck in your sixteen-year-old body.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He swallowed and turned away, causing a frown to form on Letitia’s face. “Delores kept saying the equations were off,” He took a bite of his sandwich and sighed before turning back to them. “Bet she’s laughing now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Delores?” Vanya wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus looked at Letitia, who refused to let her unease show on her delicate features. Five didn’t deign to respond to Vanya, instead grabbing the newspaper lying on the table. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, guess I missed the funeral,” He muttered. Luther frowned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How’d you know about that?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five raised an eyebrow and peered at his sibling. “What part of the future do you not understand?” He looked back down at the paper. “Heart failure, huh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All eyes turned to Diego and Luther, respectively. Letitia sighed and grabbed her drink to take a swig while Klaus took a drag from his cigarette. Five, however, turned back to the paper a second later. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nice to see nothing’s changed,” He stated before letting it fall back to the table. His eyes then roamed across the table to Letitia’s. “Come on, darling, I believe we have things to discuss.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia grinned and stood from the table as Five walked across it to take her hand in his, at which point the two of them strode away to most of their siblings’ disapproval. Allison in particular glared at them as they passed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?” She demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five rolled his eyes and looked at Letitia, who snickered as he looked over his shoulder to address Allison. “What else is there to say? It’s the circle of life.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And with that, Letitia and Five disappeared from the kitchen and began making their way further into the house. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. We Only See Each Other at Weddings and Funerals (Part 2)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We get a little steamy and then very violent in this one.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Five gave a short and happy sigh as he pushed the door to his old room open and let his eyes scan over the contents while Letitia pulled her hand from his and walked over to his bed, where she plopped down. He turned in a small circle as he appraised his surroundings, approval shining in his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Someone kept the room clean,” He murmured. Letitia raised her hand and wiggled her fingers with a sheepish smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I convinced Dad that it was a good idea, just in case you came back,” She explained. “Grace and Pogo helped out a lot, though, especially since I can’t reach half of your shelves.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five smirked at her and walked over to pat the top of her head teasingly. “Short-stack,” He joked. Letitia rolled her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know, I think I like darling better,” She admitted with a smile. Five hummed and leaned over her, forcing her to lay back on the mattress as his forearms braced his weight easily. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think I do too,” He agreed while taking in her flustered appearance, complete with flushed cheeks and dilated pupils that did unspeakable things to his teenage hormones. Letitia’s eyes fluttered as she struggled to maintain eye contact. “When was the last time we were like this?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her tongue darted out to lick her lips. “Sixteen years, four months and twenty-one days ago,” She stammered out, her cheeks reddening further with her growing embarrassment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five raised an eyebrow in response. “Been keeping count?” He asked with a smug grin. “Must’ve been one of our better nights.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s brows furrowed slightly and a mix of hurt and worry filtered into her eyes. “It was our best night,” Her hand came up to run her fingers through his hair, eliciting a soft moan. “Don’t you remember, Five?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She gasped as Five suddenly leaned down and pressed his lips against her cheek before paving a trail of burning open-mouthed kisses down her jawline. “Of course I remember,” He slowly moved to her jawline, his lips curving into a grin as Letitia shuddered beneath him. “How do you think I kept myself sane for forty-two years?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His grin widened as he found that special spot just behind Letitia’s ear, causing her hips to shoot up and rub against his own. “The feel of your skin beneath my lips,” He pressed another kiss to that spot, “Beneath my fingers…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shivered as Five’s hand moved to trace patterns on the other side of her neck before sliding down the line of her dress’ neckline. Her hips rolled once more, bringing a groan from Five as well as another kiss to her neck. Her lips parted to release a soft moan in response to the sensation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I could’ve written an entire saga with the memories I had of you,” He admitted. Letitia felt him pull away and peered up into his eyes beneath lowered lashes. “I only wish I could’ve made more before I left.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Letitia’s lips parted into a smile she almost exclusively saved for him, one of sweetness and adoration. “Well, now you don’t need memories,” She murmured. “I’m right here and I’m never letting you go again.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes burned with the promise as if she’d carved it into her soul when she’d first seen him upon returning. Five shivered at the devotion and leaned in until he was a hair's breadth away from her lips. “I’m not letting you go either, darling,” He vowed as his lips pressed against hers in a chaste kiss. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia felt her eyes flutter shut while her arms came up to wrap around him in a desperate embrace, one filled with fingers clawing at suit jackets and lips that slid against each other in a dance they’d long since memorized. Five moaned into the kiss and lowered himself closer to her, a bolt of satisfaction hitting him in the chest when Letitia gasped at the feeling of his clothed erection pressed against the inside of her thigh. Her legs moved to wrap around his hips, pulling him ever closer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five,” She whispered between frantic kisses. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her hands moved down to his lapels and tangled in the fabric for a moment before moving to the buttons of the jacket. Five groaned and allowed her to make quick work of the jacket while his hand gently moved along the curves of her body before pausing atop her left breast. Letitia gasped and arched into the touch, allowing Five to slip his tongue past her lips and deepen their kiss. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“God, you taste exactly the same,” He muttered before moving to lavish attention to her neck once more. “Clover honey and lemonade.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five ground his hips into hers as he continued his pilgrimage on the soft skin of her neck while his hand continued its careful palming of her breast. Letitia whimpered and snaked her hands under his suit jacket as the last button fell undone, her fingers gripping his shoulders tightly as pleasure cascaded over her skin. She could feel his smirk against her skin as his fingers moved to her clothed nipple and pinched the sensitive bud, sending an arrow of pleasure straight to her core. A moment later, however, he pulled away and moved to straddle Letitia, his eyes greedily devouring her debauched appearance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her chest heaved as she caught her breath, her eyes glittered with desire, and her lips were positively bruised from the force of his kisses, as was her neck in tiny splotches where Five’s kisses had turned to gentle nips and sucks. She smiled up at him and reached up to brush a stray lock of hair from his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ve been wanting to do that since the courtyard, haven’t you?” Letitia murmured breathily. Five smirked down at her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course I have,” He reached up to trace the pattern of love bites he’d left on her neck. “Anyone with a brain would want to do that to you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia grinned at him. “Good thing Diego doesn't have one,” She teased. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five tilted his head back as he laughed in response, a smile stretching his features as Letitia laughed beneath him, her eyes crinkling at the edges as she did so. “Indeed, darling, indeed,” He agreed as his laughter died down. “Now, I believe both of us need to get changed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He slid off her body as he spoke, allowing Letitia to sit up and watch him move to the closet. “Keep in mind what you last kept in that closet,” She reminded him cryptically. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She watched him open the closet and slump at the sight of an entire closet filled with copies of one outfit and one outfit only, his Umbrella Academy uniform. He glared at the multiple hangers holding copies of the same button-up, sweater vest, culottes, jacket, and tie. Five glanced at Letitia, who snickered at his expression. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t look at me like that, it’s not like I have anything else that’ll fit you in my closet,” She gestured down at her incredibly tiny frame. “Unless you want a dress that’ll maybe hit your knees.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shook his head. “Looks like I’ll look like an idiot for now,” He grumbled. Letitia smiled and stood to walk over and wrap her arms around his waist, her head resting between his shoulder blades. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, I’ll still find you sexy in that,” She stood up on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. “After all, you did wear that every time we were together in the past,” She reminded him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A shiver went down Five’s spine in response to the onslaught of memories that flooded to the surface. He blinked a few times and forced himself to concentrate on the uniform as opposed to all the sinful things he wanted to do to the petite blonde behind him. Letitia smirked and hugged him once before pulling away and going back to the bed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five reached out and grabbed a hanger. He turned back to Letitia with a dark promise in his eyes. “You’ll pay for that, you tease.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s smirk morphed into a grin as he walked past her to get dressed in front of the full-length mirror on the wall opposite from the closet. “I can’t wait to see what your genius brain has thought up over the years,” She admitted with a shiver of anticipation. “You’ve always been so creative.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Trust me, darling, my creativity has not dulled in my absence,” He murmured while pulling his oversized suit off his body and replacing it with the dreaded uniform. A moment later, he was fully clothed and turned back to Letitia with a cocky grin. “How do I look? Suitably sexy?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Letitia slid off the bed and crossed the room to stand in front of him, her hands coming up to flatten down his lapels and straighten his tie as she’d done every morning before he’d left. She hummed and looked up into his eyes a moment later with a sweet smile, a brief kiss to the corner of his mouth following a second later. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You look perfect,” Letitia pulled away to take his hand in hers. “Now, unless you want an interrogation from our siblings, I need to get changed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shrugged and allowed her to pull her out from his room, down one door, and across the hall to her own room. “I wouldn’t mind you showing these off,” He decided while tracing the pattern on her skin with his free hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smiled and shook her head fondly as she pushed open the door and made her way inside. “Neither would I, were it not for Luther and Allison being self-righteous hypocrites that I’ve already pissed off today.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She watched from the corner of her vision as Five turned in a slow circle, appraising her room and its changes since the last time he’d visited her. The walls were still a soft cream color, but the posters of various movies had been replaced with multitudes of photos containing their family members. Well, aside from Luther, Allison, Diego, and Dad. Five pulled away from Letitia to inspect them more closely while Letitia pulled open the doors to her own closet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So much has changed,” Five mumbled as his fingers drifted across the frames and his eyes devoured the photos in front of him. He heard Letitia sigh and the scratch of hangers moving on a metal bar. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” She pulled two black dresses out of the closet and walked over to the mirror to hold each of them up against her body. “It only got worse once we turned eighteen, and everyone else left aside from Luther and me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five frowned and turned back to her. “You never left? I thought you wanted to-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When I turned eighteen?” Letitia finished as she decided on a chiffon dress with a high neck. Five nodded slowly. “I wanted to, but I also wanted to be here in case you came back. And besides, we promised each other-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That we’d leave together,” Five finished. Letitia nodded while putting the other dress back into the closet and setting the one she’d chosen on her burgundy bedspread. “That neither of us would leave the other alone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded again and pulled the dress free from the hanger before bringing her hands around to the back of her current dress, where a line of buttons held the dress closed. She froze, however, when Five’s hands batted hers away as he moved to stand behind her. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let me help you,” He whispered, his breath warm and eliciting trembles as it brushed against her skin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her mouth dried as Five’s fingers traced patterns on her spine that burned through the velvet of her dress. She swallowed as they moved back to just between her shoulder blades and began undoing the buttons with a level of dexterity that only he possessed. Her body trembled as the bare skin of her back was revealed to his prying fingers, which brushed against the soft flesh softer than a butterfly’s wings on a flower. Letitia blinked as Five’s hands settled on her shoulders, having undone the last button. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” She managed to get out as she fought every instinct to turn and push him down onto her bed. Five hummed and nuzzled the side of her head, savoring the scent of his Lettie. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No problem at all, darling,” He replied as his fingers moved from her shoulders, down her arms, and paused at the feeling of smooth velvet on one arm and cold metal on the other. Five wrapped his hand around her right wrist and tugged her arm up to inspect the band. “What’s this?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mmm, Dad made it to control my powers,” Letitia mumbled, distracted by the feeling of Five’s warm body pressed against her. If they weren’t careful, they’d miss the funeral in favor of… ‘catching up’.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five turned her arm from side to side until he spotted the clasp that held it in place. With a quick fidget of his fingers, the armband snapped open and fell to the ground with a clatter. “No more of that,” He stated. “Your powers aren’t meant to be controlled.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s lips curled into a smile as Five pulled away to turn her so she was facing him. She leaned forward and rested her head on his chest, and her smile grew as Five rubbed the bare skin of her back gently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I should probably get changed,” She admitted. Five sighed and pulled away to stare down at her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I suppose.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her hair before releasing her from his arms. “I’ll be waiting outside, so I don’t start something we can’t finish.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A dark blush painted Letitia’s cheeks pink, bringing a smug grin to Five’s face as he turned and made his way out of the room. The door shut behind him with a click, and for several minutes he leaned against the wall beside it, listening to the miscellaneous sounds of Letitia moving about her room behind the door. After a few minutes, he looked over as the door opened to reveal Letitia in her new dress. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ready?” He asked as he pushed himself off the wall and inspected her dress, a lightweight number with sheer black chiffon atop a slip with a neckline that reached just beneath her jaw and sleeves that ended at her wrists. Five was pleased to see she had kept the armband removed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded and looped her arm through his. “Ready,” She affirmed. Five nodded in response, and with a quick once over of his own appearance the two of them made their way back down the stairs and into the living room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya stared at the silhouettes of Five and Letitia as they stood in front of Five’s portrait in the living room with pensive expressions. She walked over and watched as the two of them turned towards her, their arms entwined as if they’d never been separated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nice to know Dad didn’t forget me,” Five commented. He and Vanya stared at each other for several moments before Five stepped closer to her. “Read your book, by the way. Found it in a library that was still standing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia walked beside Five as he maneuvered around Vanya to look around more, his eyes drifting lazily over the opulent surroundings he’d once called home. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought it was pretty good, all things considered.” He paused and turned back to their sister with a slightly tense expression. “Yeah, definitely ballsy, giving up the family secrets. Sure that went over well.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He did have to give Vanya credit, though, for her lack of invasion of the special relationship he and Letitia had formed when they were younger. He knew that she had an inkling of it, she had been his second favorite after Lettie, but even an inkling could have destroyed Letitia in that book. So, he wasn’t too upset at the autobiography. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya looked down at the floor with a downcast expression and then back at him. “They hate me,” She confessed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five barely reacted to that statement, instead sighing in response. “Oh, there are worse things that can happen.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You mean like what happened to Ben?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia stiffened at Vanya’s words, a motion that did not go unnoticed by Five. She slowly unwound her arm from his and wandered over to the bar with a muttered ‘excuse me’, leaving Five and Vanya in the middle of the room. Five watched her go with a scowl before turning back to Vanya. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Was it bad?” He asked. Vanya nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was awful,” She whispered. “And Tish took the brunt of the punishment for it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The muscles in Five’s body felt like suspension cables with how tense that admission forced them to be. His eyes narrowed on Vanya while his periphery focused on Letitia as she poured herself a shot of bourbon, which she knocked back with ease. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought the Horror devoured Ben,” He mused. Vanya nodded slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It did, and Letitia couldn’t save him,” She took a deep and shuddering breath. “I’d never seen Dad so enraged before that moment.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s gaze slid entirely to Letitia, who was leaning against the bar with her head in her hands. She avoided looking at him and Vanya and instead turned her attention to the entrance to the room, where Klaus had appeared with two umbrellas in hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Luther’s apparently ready for the service,” He explained while drifting over to Letitia and handing her the black umbrella in his hand while retaining the clear plastic one with the pink trim in his other hand. “So we should head out if we don’t want to get yelled at.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hummed and reached out to snag Klaus’ joint from his hand, thankful that he didn’t fight her for it. She was stopped from actually taking a hit, however, by Five’s hand wrapping around hers. He plucked the joint from her hand and thrust it back at Klaus while also taking the umbrella from her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“None of that,” He muttered while winding an arm around her waist to lead her out to the courtyard. Letitia said nothing in response, choosing instead to lean against him as they walked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A moment later, they joined the rest of their siblings at the door and made their way outside, where rain drummed against their umbrellas and splashed on the stone. Klaus stayed close to the duo with worry in his eyes, while Vanya moved to stand by their mother. Between Five and Grace stood Allison and Diego, while Luther remained across from them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Grace frowned at her children. “Did something happen?” She asked gently, a pinched and confused expression on her face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All of the others stared at the android worriedly. Allison took a step closer. “Dad died, remember?” She reminded the woman. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Grace looked away from them. “Yes, of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison’s gaze slid to Diego. “Is Mom okay?” She demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego nodded absently as if the gesture could disguise his true worry. “Yeah, yeah, she’s fine,” He turned to glance at Grace. “She just needs to rest. You know, recharge.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No one said anything in response, their unease about the situation and lack of a desire to start a fight with Diego prompting them to stay silent. Thankfully, the arrival of Pogo, who stood on Vanya’s other side, distracted them from it. The loving chimp looked up at Luther, who held the urn containing their father’s ashes tightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Whenever you’re ready, dear boy,” He stated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther gave a small nod in response before reaching up and removing the lid from the urn with a pained expression. Letitia watched him with empty eyes that occasionally flitted towards Klaus and his respective joint. Five’s arm tightened around her waist, and his eyes remained locked on the urn as Luther tipped it over to dump their father’s ashes; which landed on the stone with a rather unpleasant sound and little to no spread. Klaus cringed at the sight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They watched as Luther looked back up at them. “Probably would have been better with some wind,” He remarked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pogo turned from Luther to address the others. “Does anyone wish to speak?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their reaction was rather lackluster and composed of eye rolls as well as deliberate efforts to avoid looking at their father’s remains. Klaus took another hit from his joint and looked at Five and Letitia, who looked utterly bored and somewhat snide in that moment. Pogo looked back over at their father’s ashes with a sad frown. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Very well,” He adjusted his weight from one leg to the other. “In all regards, Sir Reginald Hargreeves made me what I am today. For that alone, I shall forever be in his debt. He was my master,” Pogo took a deep breath, “And my friend. And I shall miss him very much.” He paused and blinked back tears. “He leaves behind a complicated leg-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He was a monster,” Diego snarled, his frustration at Pogo’s kind words and complete bright siding of their father building to insurmountable heights. Klaus laughed breathily in response. “He was a bad person and a worse father. The world’s better off without him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Diego-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut it, Allison,” Letitia snapped, her eyes focused in a razor-sharp glare at her ‘older’ sister. “Let him speak.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego didn’t acknowledge Letitia’s words, his own glare directed at Allison as well. “My name is Number Two. You know why?” Allison avoided his gaze. “Because our father couldn’t be bothered to give us actual names. He had Mom do it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Would anyone like something to eat?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All eyes turned back to Grace at her question, a frown formed on most of their features in response. Vanya ended up taking the liberty to respond. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s okay Mom,” She assured the blonde. Grace nodded in response and looked down at the ground. Diego shook his head and took a step forward before turning to address his siblings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look, you wanna pay your respects? Go ahead. But at least be honest about the kind of man he was.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther’s shoulders began to shake with rage. “You should stop talking now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five watched as Letitia’s hands began to adopt a pale yellow glow. He adjusted his grip on the umbrella and clasped her hands in his. Diego glared at Luther and turned towards him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know, you of all people should be on my side here, Number One,” He sneered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I am warning you,” Luther began. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“After everything he did to you?” Diego interjected. Five looked over at Klaus, who watched the scene with quiet amusement. “He had to ship you a million miles away.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Diego, stop talking,” Luther snarled. Diego scoffed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s how much he couldn’t stand the sight of you!” He shouted, his last words emphasized by a jab of his fingers into Luther’s chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally, the gargantuan had enough and slammed Diego's arm away. Diego smirked and jumped back as Luther’s fists swung wildly while ducking under them with ease. Before anyone else could do anything, the back and forth devolved into a brawl between the two brothers. Everyone took a step back, with Five positioning himself just in front of Letitia’s petite frame. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Boys, stop this at once!” Pogo cried out. Klaus moved to stand in front of Five, who pushed him away with an indignant glare. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego let out an enraged roar as he and Luther continued trading blows. “Come on big boy!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther lunged while Diego pivoted before raining blows on Luther’s back with furious yells. Vanya took a step forward, worried, and angry at her older brothers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop it!” She shouted. Klaus, however, was just the opposite. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hit him! Hit him!” He cheered, his joint dangling from his mouth as he mimicked Diego’s punches. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego and Luther didn’t respond, too focused on trying to make the other pay with a currency of punches, kicks, and violence. Pogo shook his head and stormed away. Luther let out a shout as he threw Diego across the courtyard, forcing the man to roll over before forcing himself to his feet. Luther lunged again, his fingers wrapping around the fabric of Diego’s outfit with ease and gripping it tightly. Diego wriggled in his grasp and fought as best he could. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get off me!” He ordered before managing to rip himself free and deck Luther across the face. He dashed over to stand in front of Ben’s statue, his arms raised defensively. Five shook his head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We don’t have time for this,” He muttered as he turned, about to lead Letitia away from their idiotic siblings, but she refused and instead yanked her hands from his. Five watched anxiously as she stormed over, her hands outstretched and coated with the yellow glow. Diego’s eyes widened as he spotted her in his periphery. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare-” He started. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh shut up,” Letitia snapped before forcing her right hand to clench into a fist. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego screamed as his left and right humerus both cracked in half. He stumbled away, unable to adjust his arms. Luther glared at Letitia and stormed over before a sickening snap resounded and both of his tibias shattered. He gagged and fell forward, his nose crunching as the impact on the stone crushed it with ease. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tish!” Allison shrieked, her eyes wide with horror that quickly morphed to fury. “How dare you?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia rolled her eyes and turned to face her sister. “Oh please, they deserved it,” She sneered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison glared at her and opened her mouth to speak, only for her throat to suddenly gain a massive divot as her windpipe caved in. Five watched with wide eyes as she stumbled away with tears streaming down her face from the pain. Letitia grinned at her sister, a sadistic gleam entering her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Try to rumor me again and we’ll see how much you like a collapsed lung,” She threatened. Allison gasped for air, her hands clawing at her throat. Letitia turned back to Luther and Diego, who stared at her with murder in their eyes. “And you two, stop being fucking idiots and grow up. Dad’s dead and now you two don’t have to deal with each other, so stop picking fights and just leave each other alone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes widened as she felt a hand rest on her shoulder. She felt her body relax and turned her head to see Five standing behind her. Letitia let her powers dissipate and turned fully to face him. His hand moved from her shoulder to cup her cheek as he leaned in, his lips an inch from her ear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re not worth it,” He whispered as a reminder. “Put them back together and then we can leave.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia was silent for several seconds before she sighed and nodded slowly. Five pulled away and watched as she flicked her wrist, restoring her siblings back to an uninjured state. Before any of them could try to get back at her though, she and Five turned and disappeared into the house with a quick spatial jump. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A half-hour later Five sighed happily as he turned the key in the ignition of their deceased father’s car and leaned back in the driver’s seat to look at Letitia, who sat in the passenger seat beside him. His eyes ghosted over her features in the complete silence for several seconds before she looked over at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Whatcha thinking about?” She murmured, her hand reaching out to hold his. Five leaned across the gap between their seats to stare into her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You, and how powerful you’ve become,” He admitted. Letitia blushed. “I never thought I’d see the day when you could shatter bone and cartilage instantly.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smiled at him. “Do I get a donut for my efforts?” She asked teasingly, remembering their little tradition of Griddy’s Donuts after particularly harsh training days. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Donuts mean coffee, so yes, you do.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, Five’s hand moved from Letitia’s to rest on her knee as he began the short drive to Griddy’s Donuts. Their eyes drifted over the city as they passed buildings and pedestrians in the sleek black car until they pulled into the parking lot. Five was the first to exit and immediately spatial jumped to the other side of the car to open Letitia’s door and offer his hand. Letitia smiled up at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Being your darling does include quite a few perks,” She teased as she took his hand and allowed him to pull her free from the car. Five hummed and spun her in a short twirl as he shut the car door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That it does,” He agreed while tugging her into his side and wrapping his arm around her waist. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two of them crossed the parking lot and entered the donut shop in silence, nostalgia filling them at the scent of donuts and coffee. Five led her over to the counter, where they slid into their usual spots in the dead center of the curve and waited patiently as Letitia reached into a pocket to grab some money. The bell dinged behind them a moment later as a man entered and took a seat a few chairs away from Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia looked up as the man took a seat and began working on a crossword puzzle while a middle-aged woman emerged from the kitchen in the signature pink and white uniform. Five’s fingers drummed on the counter as he watched her approach the older man. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, sink was clogged,” She explained quietly, a kind expression on her face as she laughed softly. “So, what’ll it be?” She asked while pulling out a notepad and pen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man looked up and scanned the case of pastries. “Uh, give me a chocolate eclair,” He decided. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The waitress, Agnes, nodded and made a quick note. “Mm-hmm. Sure,” She looked up and over at Five and Letitia. “Can I get the kids a glass of milk or something?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia winced as Five’s eyes narrowed. She rested her hand on his upper thigh and squeezed gently before flashing a smile at Agnes and leaning across the counter. Five relaxed at the touch and leaned back as Letitia addressed the waitress. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re actually on a date,” She explained. “And he’d like a cup of coffee, black. I’ll take a jelly donut if you have any.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Agnes nodded slowly and made another note before turning and heading over to the donut case in silence. Letitia leaned back and smiled at Five, her hand still resting on his thigh. He smiled back and reached down to take her hand in his and bring it up to rest on the counter in his own. His eyes then moved to scan their surroundings, and he sighed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t remember this place being such a shithole,” He remarked softly, earning a hum from Letitia and a confused glance from the man next to them. “I still remember coming here as a kid, sneaking out with our brothers and sisters and eating donuts till we puked. Simpler times, huh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man watched Five silently, completely and utterly bewildered at his words. “Uh. I suppose,” He eventually replied. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On Five’s other side, Letitia nodded along and used her free hand to trace patterns on the back of Five’s hand with the nail of her index finger. She paused as Agnes returned with two plates and a mug before distributing the eclair, jelly donut, and cup of coffee amongst the three customers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Here,” Agnes murmured. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smiled as Five released her hand and grabbed his mug and her donut without a word. She looked away from him and began to pass Agnes the money for the two items, but the man on Five’s left cut her off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got theirs,” He explained while setting down a few extra bills alongside those used for his chocolate eclair. Five looked over and gave a simple nod of appreciation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks.” Letitia smiled at the man. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, thank you,” She added. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man nodded and turned to his eclair while Five watched him carefully. Letitia turned to her jelly donut and carefully ripped it in half between her fingers, a small smile on her face as she brought up one half and began to nibble on it while Five asked the man about an address. She watched as the man scribbled it down on a napkin and handed it to Five before he finished his eclair and left, leaving the two of them in the shop. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But, their alone time was not to last. Five tensed as the door opened with another ding and looked in the reflection in the bell to see five men wearing tactical gear making their way over to him. He leaned over to Letitia, who had also caught sight of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t move, don’t interfere. Just trust me, okay?” She flashed him an unimpressed stare. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When have I not?” Letitia replied with a sweet smile and a wink. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five grinned and pressed a kiss to her cheek while setting the mug down on the counter. He took a deep breath and forced his body to relax despite the very real threat against his darling Lettie. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That was fast,” He remarked. “I thought I’d have more time before they found me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia took another bite of her donut as she looked at the reflection in the glass of the donut case, her powers instinctively finding all of the men’s internal organs. She shook her head slightly and forced them to retract, though. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Five listened carefully as the leader of the group pulled his gun up to aim the barrel at his skull. “So let’s all be professional about this, yeah? On your feet and come with us. They want to talk.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got nothing to say,” Five replied coolly while watching Letitia from the corner of his eye. He tensed as one of the lackeys adjusted his gun to aim at her head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It doesn’t have to go this way,” The leader urged. “You think I want to shoot two kids? Go home with that on my conscience?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia sighed at his word choice and knew there was nothing that could save these men now. A threat against him he could live with, but she knew that as soon as someone threatened to take her away from him in any way that he would annihilate them. There was no margin for mercy where she was involved and that was how it had always been between them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s mind raced with scenarios as he fought to maintain his nonchalant appearance and posture. “Well, I wouldn’t worry about that,” He drawled before turning to the leader with a barely-there smirk. “You won’t be going home.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blood spurted from the leader’s neck a moment later as Five plunged a butter knife into it, having jumped seconds before the man could fire. Letitia barely flinched as the gun clattered to the ground and sent bullets flying into the air, and instead crossed the counter to plop down behind it, donut and mug of coffee in hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, assholes!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia laughed softly around a bite of her donut at Five’s shout as another bullet went off, nicking the wiring in the ceiling and forcing the lights to flicker. Bullets suddenly rained on the table where Five had been laying with a cocky smirk on his face. She took a sip of coffee and reached up to grab the newspaper the man from earlier had left there. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a knock on the door. Letitia rolled her eyes as she heard the men turn and fill the windows and doors with bullets, sending glass everywhere. Five jumped back into the shop. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop playing with your prey, dearest,” She called out as she skimmed the comics on the back of the newspapers. A grin appeared as she heard the sudden squelch of the knife stabbing through another man’s flesh, followed by a shout of pain. “Much better.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Only for you, darling,” Five called back as he undid his tie and jumped behind another man, the fabric wrapping tightly around his neck with ease. There was a snap as the man’s neck broke, followed by another squelch as Five stabbed another one in the thigh. “How’s your donut?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mm, delightful!” Letitia cheered as a plate flew through the air and collided with the last man’s skull. The knife then found its way out of the man’s thigh and into his eyeball. “I think they switched to raspberry jelly instead of strawberry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five didn’t respond immediately as he finished off the last man, whose death was heralded by the sound of his neck snapping and another bout of gunfire. Once his corpse fell to the ground and Five had his tie in hand, he jumped behind the counter just as Letitia held up his mug. He beamed and grabbed it before taking a sip, </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Lettie,” He praised. Letitia smiled and finished off her donut before leaning her head on his shoulder. The lights flickered above them as he finished off his coffee while Letitia tied his tie back into place. “Now, let’s figure out how those fuckers found me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two of them stood and climbed back across the counter, surveying the damage with a slight grimace. “That’s going to be quite the cleanup,” Letitia commented as Five grabbed a small monitor from beside the leader’s body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shit,” He cursed. Letitia looked over with a raised eyebrow. “There’s a tracker in my arm, that’s how they found me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hummed and grabbed Five’s hand to lead him back to the counter and placed his right forearm on it. “Where is it?” She asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right there,” Five murmured while pointing at the middle of his forearm. Letitia nodded and held her hand over the flesh, watching as it split open and pushed out a small blinking capsule, which Five plucked out with his fingers. She then closed her hand into a fist, cursing the flesh to knit back together. “Perfect, thank you, darling.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No problem at all, dearest,” She whispered before pressing a kiss to his cheek as he crushed the capsule with ease. “Now, let’s get out of here before I’m forced to kill an entire police squad.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded in agreement and within seconds the two of them had left the shop, which was well and truly destroyed, as well as a distraught waitress. They stepped outside the door before climbing into the car and speeding away until they arrived at an unassuming apartment complex via Letitia’s directions. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, tell me again why you wanted to go here?” She asked as they exited the car and began making their way up the fire escape. “Aside from our siblings questioning everything as soon as we returned to the house.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I need to tell you about something and we’ll need Vanya’s help,” He explained quickly. “She’s ordinary, has no close ties to our idiot brothers and sister, and will be able to understand at least a portion of this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hummed and followed him into Vanya’s apartment through her unlocked windows. “Reasonable,” She decided. “Now, take a seat. You’re exhausted and Vanya’s not even home yet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five rolled his eyes but did as she bid and took a seat in the armchair near the window before grabbing Letitia’s hand and pulling her down to sit in his lap. She smiled at the action and curled up, her head automatically tucking itself under his chin while his hand traced patterns on her upper thigh. A few minutes later, the door opened and Five flicked on a light, much to Vanya’s displeasure. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jesus!” She exclaimed at the sight of her siblings cuddling in the chair. Five stared at her with a stern expression. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You should have locks on your windows,” He advised. Letitia nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not safe to go without them,” She agreed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya shook her head and set her keys down before closing the door. “I live on the second floor,” She pointed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scoffed. “Rapists can climb,” He reminded her. Vanya stared at him, her mouth flapping open and closed before she sighed and walked further into the room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re so weird,” She murmured. Letitia smiled and stretched up to kiss Five on the cheek. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe, but it’s a good weird,” She decided. Five smirked at the praise and squeezed her tightly in a brief hug before she repositioned herself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya took a seat on the couch and turned to face her siblings. “Why are you here?” She asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five sighed and adjusted Letitia on his lap so as to lean forward slightly. “I’ve decided you’re the only one I can trust, aside from Lettie of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya frowned. “Why me?” She wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because you’re ordinary,” Five replied. Vanya’s face fell, inspiring a hint of sympathy in her brother. “Because you’ll listen,” He amended. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya nodded slowly. “Okay, I’m listening.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five took a deep breath and moved his hand from Letitia’s leg to her hair before carding his fingers through it, the motion soothing the both of them more than anything else in the world. A moment later, he swallowed and began to speak. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When I jumped forward and got stuck in the future, do you know what I found?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya shook her head. “No.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nothing.” Letitia blinked as she listened to his words, just taking them all in as opposed to questioning him. “Absolutely nothing.” He took a deep breath. “As far as I could tell, I was the last person left alive. I never figured out what killed the human race, but I did find something else. The date it happens.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia leaned back to look up into his face, remaining silent all the while. Five sighed and looked into Vanya’s eyes while holding Letitia tightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The world ends in eight days, and I have no idea how to stop it,” He confessed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For five seconds, they could have heard a pin drop in the silence of the apartment. It was stifling, it surrounded them like a fog. Finally, Vanya broke it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll put on a pot of coffee,” She whispered before standing and making her way into the kitchen, leaving Five and Letitia alone in the living room. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi everyone, hope you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a comment so I'll be motivated to add more and so I know what you like and don't like! Thank you so much for reading and have a great day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Run Boy Run (Part 1)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Memory, a chat with Vanya, and the first visit to Meritech Labs (with a little steam at the end).</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>16 years, 4 months, and 14 days ago</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smiled up at Five, who towered over her even though they were sixteen now, as they waited on the staircase for the iconic ding of the bell to summon them to dinner that evening. He smiled back at her and carded his fingers through her hair slowly, the feeling of the silky tendrils curling around the slim digits utterly sublime. Behind them, Klaus and Ben rolled their eyes at the couple’s gesture but smiled at their little sister nevertheless.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A chime forced them to turn and start making their way down the stairs, where Grace awaited with her bell in hand. She smiled sweetly at them and watched as they moved to their initial positions, with even numbers on Reginald’s left and odd numbers on Reginald’s right. This meant that Luther sat immediately to their father’s right, followed by Allison, then Five, then Vanya. Opposite them sat Diego, then Klaus, then Ben, and Letitia at the end. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The eight children waited patiently as their father made his way over to the dining room as well which meant that, aside from a lecture on climbing from Herr Carlson, the room was utterly silent. No one even made eye contact with each other, choosing instead to take stolen glimpses at each other from the corners of their eyes. Suddenly, footfalls approached the room and caused their spines to stiffen and their posture to straighten as their father entered the room. He didn’t spare them a glance as he approached the table, and only looked up when he was standing behind his chair. He pulled it out and moved in front of it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sit,” He ordered before taking a seat and pulling his chair back towards the table. In one fluid motion, all eight of his children followed his movement and took their seats, and the meal began. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“A screen anchor must be used if the rope is to be successfully retrieved from the face of the mountain.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther and Allison exchanged shy, lovesick glances in the corners of their eyes, the action bringing small smiles to each of their faces that they struggled to mask under the prying gaze of their father. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Tightly knot the ends of the rope. Once anchored, thread the doubled rope through the legs, front to back, and around the buttocks.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Across the table, Diego was making quick work of a carving in the side of the armrest of his chair with the help of his trusty knife. Beside him, Klaus was focused on the rather strenuous task of rolling a blunt out of sight, a skill he had mostly mastered over the last few years. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“It is of utmost importance that the rope be drawn under the gluteal muscles, not through the crevice between the gluteus.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia took a sip of water as she continued eating beside Ben, who was rather intently focused on his copy of Anton Chekhov’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Bet</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but occasionally risked a glance at Five, who always returned the glance with a smirk. This time, however, was different. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her brows furrowed as she watched Five fiddle with the dinner knife in his hand, his grip twisting and tightening around it sporadically and forcing his knuckles to turn white. She quickly schooled her expression and took another bite of her food, but her eyes didn’t leave him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes sharpened into a glare at their father, who watched him silently over the rim of his wine glass. Letitia’s eyes widened as Five picked up the knife and opened her mouth to say something, but she never got the chance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blade of the knife slammed into the table with a dull thud that shuddered through the table and forced the dishes to rattle. Letitia tensed with worry while the others, including their father, looked over at Five. Their father looked back down almost instantly, however. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Number Five?” He called out, allowing the boy to speak. Five leaned forward onto his elbows. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have a question,” He announced. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their father didn’t spare him a glance as he continued to cut his salmon into pieces. “Knowledge is an admirable goal, but you know the rules. No talking during mealtimes,” He reminded the boy before glancing up at pointing at the record player with his knife. “You are interrupting Herr Carlson.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five dropped his fork onto his plate, eliciting another clatter. “I want to time travel,” He declared. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Behind his monocle, Reginald rolled his eyes. “No,” He interjected. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia couldn’t force herself to take another bite if her life depended on it, all she could focus on was Five’s palpable anger as he continued glaring at their father. Ben’s hand dipped under the table to squeeze hers tightly, but the gesture did nothing to relieve her tension. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But I’m ready. I’ve been practicing my spatial jumps, just like you said,” Five argued as he stood from the table, his chair moving back with a soft screech. They watched as he forced himself to jump to their father’s side. “See?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Reginald didn’t acknowledge the boy’s presence outside of continuing the argument and continuing to eat his own dinner. “A spatial jump is trivial when compared with the unknowns of time travel. One is like sliding along the ice, the other is akin to descending blindly into the depths of the freezing water and reappearing as an acorn.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While the other children turned back to their dinner, Letitia’s gaze remained fixed on Five as he blinked at their father. “Well, I don’t get it,” He admitted. Reginald took a sip of wine. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hence the reason you’re not ready,” He repeated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five looked down the table at Letitia and Vanya, who both shook their heads no. He looked back at their father, his hands tightly clenched into fists behind his back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not afraid,” He assured the older man. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fear isn’t the issue,” He replied instantly. “The effects it might have on your body, even on your mind, are far too unpredictable.” His silverware clattered on his plate as he finally turned to face his son. “Now, I forbid you to talk about this anymore!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia watched with bated breath as Five stared at their father, who turned back to his meal in seconds. Her eyes widened as he turned on his heel and began to storm out. She moved to follow him, but Ben caught her hand and held her back for fear of a possible punishment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Number Five!” The father called out after his retreating form. “You haven’t been excused! Come back here!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door slammed shut, and part of Letitia’s heart cracked at the sound. She turned her gaze away from the door and forced herself to pick up a spoonful of peas and potatoes, but it tasted like sand when it hit her tongue. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Outside the academy, Number Five had never felt freer in his entire life. He grinned as he made his way down the street, adrenaline thrumming in his veins. His legs sped up, and with one fluid motion of his arms he felt his body stumble through time, landing a few years in the future. Five looked at his surroundings and felt his smile widen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not ready, my ass,” He breathed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the back of his mind, a plan formed. He could come back, and he could take Letitia far away into the future, where they’d be safe from their dad. They could even bring Vanya, Klaus, and Ben if they wanted to come. He skipped lightly at the thought and decided to do another test run before turning back. With another whoosh, he sent himself forward several more years to a snowy winter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s try it one last time,” He whispered. His arms moved in front of his before separating, his body flew through to the future, and when he looked up, he froze. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burning rubble surrounded him. Buildings were crumbling around their foundations and the sky was grey with smoke, ash, and dust. His eyes widened in horror, he stumbled back a step. The suffocating heat surrounded him, smoke made his eyes sting with tears. He spun around and looked back down the street, where the rubble continued on for miles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lettie,” He choked out, ice water filling his veins. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five broke into a sprint, his shoes smacking the pavement deafeningly as he made his way back to his home. What had been one city block felt like miles to his frantic mind and body. He skidded to a halt and looked up, shaking as he stared at the burning remains of his home. Five moved up the steps. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lettie!” He screamed, his eyes wide and darting around as he scanned the wreckage. “Letitia!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was no response. Five ran his hands through his hair and turned in a circle as terror enveloped him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya!” He tried. No response. “Ben!” Silence reigned aside from the echoes of roaring flames. Five felt hot, salty tears trailing down his cheeks. “Klaus!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He moved away from the rubble and turned around in desperate circles. “Letitia!” He howled, his hands coming up to clasp his skull tightly. Five gasped and pulled his hands away, pushing them together in an attempt to get back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Energy crackled but no portal opened. Five was sure his heart stopped, or at the very least skipped a beat. He pushed his hands together again, and once again the energy was there but the portal was not. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on!” He screamed. Finally, the energy ceased to appear. Five stumbled back. “Shit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His body sank to its knees in front of the academy. Sobs tore themselves from Five’s throat as he stared blankly at the destruction splayed out in front of him. Tears streamed down his face without end. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lettie,” He whispered, his arms coming up to hug himself tightly as he did so. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Present Day</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia was sure that if Five hugged her any tighter that she was going to suffocate, but she couldn’t find it in herself to protest against it. His description of that awful day, of the beginning of their years apart, was so horrific that she would have given him the world if he wanted it just to make up for that day in some way. She burrowed closer to his chest and smiled mentally as he relaxed ever so slightly at the gesture. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five looked up at Vanya and took a deep breath before continuing. “I survived on scraps. Canned food, cockroaches, anything I could find.” He chuckled sardonically. “You know that rumor that Twinkies have an endless shelf-life? Well, it’s total bullshit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya swallowed as Five took a sip of coffee. “I can’t even imagine,” She whispered softly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You do whatever it takes to survive, or you die,” He remarked. “So, we adapted. Whatever the world threw at us, we found a way to overcome it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia peered up at Five with the smallest of frowns. “We?” She asked slowly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five didn’t respond, instead holding his cup of coffee out to Vanya. “You got anything stronger?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya nodded and stood to go to her kitchen, where she always kept a bottle of whiskey for the nights when she was miserable and lonely. Or for the rare times she had company, like tonight. She poured a glass and brought it back to Five, who was now standing while Letitia sat like a perching bird on the armrest. He took the glass wordlessly and tipped it back before looking back at Vanya. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He scoffed at the worried and disturbed gaze in her eyes. “You think I’m crazy,” He muttered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her gaze snapped away from him to the floor as she stammered. “No, It’s just… it’s a lot to take in.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia watched from her place behind Five as he rolled his eyes irritatedly. “Exactly what don’t you understand?” He demanded with a sneer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you just time travel back?” Vanya retorted with a furrowed brow. Letitia stiffened as Five’s form visibly radiated fury at his sister’s words. She slowly rose from her place and took a tentative step over to them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Were you not listening,” His voice rapidly devolved into a snarl. “When I explained that time travel is a crapshoot? I went into the ice and never acorn-ed.” He took a step closer to Vanya, who retreated slightly. “You think I didn’t try everything to get back to my family?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?” Vanya’s chin tilted up defiantly. “Then how come you left Tish behind?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The glass shattered as it flew against the wall, drenching the wall in whiskey as Five closed the distance between the two of them with a growl. He stopped, however, at the feeling of arms wrapping around his middle and a body pushing him back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop it,” Letitia murmured, looking up as Five stared down at her. “It’s not worth it.” She brought her hand up to cup his cheek. “I know you did your best, and you eventually made it. You’re here now, and that’s what matters.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya watched as Five stared down at Letitia for several more seconds before winding his own arms around her and holding her for a moment. Regret stabbed her heart when he pulled away, when she saw the sheer pain in his eyes as he looked down at his favorite girl in the world. She looked down at the ground and back up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, that was out of line,” She whispered. Five didn’t say anything in response, too focused on Letitia’s gaze to do anything other than stare back at her. Vanya took a step closer to them. “Five? If you grew old in the apocalypse, how come you still look like a kid?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five closed his eyes and pulled away from Letitia to go over to Vanya’s cabinet and grab another glass. He set it down on the counter and grabbed the bottle of whiskey. “I told you already,” A hefty pour of whiskey tumbled into the glass. “I must have got the equations wrong.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I mean, Dad always used to say that-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya, if you try to say that he’s making this up then we’ll leave right now,” Letitia interjected, her voice as cold and hard as ice and leaving no room for argument. Vanya winced while Five watched the two women from next to the kitchen sink. “Five has been through too much for you to invalidate him this way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Easy for you to say,” Vanya argued. “You’ll trust him no matter what he says, you always have. He can’t be wrong in your eyes, and that’s messed up, Tish.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This was a mistake,” Five knocked back the rest of his glass and walked over to grab Letitia’s hand in his. “You’re too young. Too naive to understand any of this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya shook her head wildly and reached out to stop them, but a flash of blue light signaled their departure. She reached up and rubbed her temples as she struggled to process everything from the last twenty-four hours, and in the end, decided that pouring herself a glass wouldn’t be a half-bad idea.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, halfway across the city, Five was walking down a street with Letitia, their arms swinging between them as their hands gripped each other tightly. He watched her from his periphery, too afraid of her reaction to dive further into his time post-apocalypse. Letitia, however, had no such fear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who’s Dolores?” She asked quietly, her eyes looking straight ahead so as to not betray her emotions. Five saw right through it though, he’d always been able to. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She was the only one I had in the future,” He began. “The only company and only friend I had for thirty-some-odd years after I arrived.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hummed and peeked at him from the corner of her own eyes. “Just a friend then?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded. “I thought, for a time, that we could be something more. That I could move on after losing everything,” He took a deep and shuddering breath. “But I couldn’t. Instead, she became my trusted confidant and best friend. I don’t think I would’ve survived if it weren’t for her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A small smile appeared on Letitia’s face at his words, her unease and jealousy fading. “She sounds like an amazing woman,” She complimented. “I’m glad you had someone like her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her smile disappeared as she felt Five pull her to a stop in the middle of the empty sidewalk, his face containing a mixture of hope, disbelief, and awe. Letitia stared up at him and waited for him to speak as she always did when he was hesitant.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you mean that?” Five choked out. “That you’re glad I had her? Even though she wasn’t you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She sighed and wrapped her arms around Five’s middle, the sensation forcing his body to relax before she spoke. “Five, I would give you a million Doloreses if it meant you would come back to me safely,” She admitted. “I would let you go be with someone else if it kept you safe and happy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neither of them said a single word for several minutes in the wake of that profound confession and instead chose to hold each other and bask in the dim light of a nearby streetlamp as well as the feeling of the cool and damp April evening air. It was only when a car rushed by that they were shocked back to reality and they pulled away from each other. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go home, Lettie,” Five whispered. “I’m exhausted.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded in agreement and looped her arm through his just as he jumped back to his room at the Academy, where he promptly kicked off his shoes and tumbled onto his bed, pulling Letitia down with him. She didn’t lay down, though, and instead sat back on her knees and reached down to undo the buttons of his jacket. Five stared up at her as she worked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t realize you were in the mood,” He teased. Letitia laughed softly and tugged on his arm to pull him up and then push his jacket off his shoulders. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just want you to be comfortable,” She explained as she tossed the jacket over to the desk chair, where it landed on the back of it. Her hands then moved to his tie, which she undid before getting to work on the shirt buttons. “And I’d imagine your undershirt and boxers are far more comfortable than this outfit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five hummed and pulled his arms from out of the sleeves after Letitia undid the last button on the shirt, which quickly joined the jacket and tie. “And here I thought I was so unbelievably sexy that you couldn’t restrain yourself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia rolled her eyes and undid the button and zip on his pants before tugging them down and pulling them off, followed by his socks. “While you are very sexy, you are also exhausted after killing those guys and jumping around so much. So, we are going to sleep.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She pulled away and slid off the bed to place his shorts with his other clothes before turning to his mirror and getting to work on removing her dress. Five sat up and propped his weight on his elbows as he watched the fabric slide off her slim figure to reveal her matching bra and panties of white lace. He smiled appreciatively at the sight and frowned disappointedly when she removed her bra to immediately don one of his old pajama tops. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh don’t give me that look,” She teased as she turned back to Five. “A simple shirt won’t stop those wandering hands of yours and you know it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five sighed and laid back down on the bed as Letitia crawled in and pulled the blankets over them. “You’re probably right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course I am,” Letitia smiled as Five moved to lay his head on her chest. “I know you better than anyone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A hum echoed from Five, who was too exhausted for speech. Letitia shook her head fondly and reached down to gently run her fingers through his hair and rub his back, the motion soothing the both of them until Letitia joined Five in sleep. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next morning, Five awoke to the sound of Letitia’s breathing and the feeling of her bare skin beneath his hand from where his hand had snuck under the bottom of her shirt and splayed out on the skin of her waist. He slowly lifted his head and watched as Letitia slept, the light of the sunrise bathing her in a soft glow as it filtered through the curtains. Five pushed himself up onto his elbow and brought up his other hand to gently caress her cheek. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you know what I missed about you most?” He whispered as she continued to sleep. “Your trust. You never worried about me betraying you, and you always welcomed me with open arms after every mistake I made.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia snuggled deeper into the blankets and pulled him closer with the hand that still rested on his back. Five smiled and moved up to rest his head next to hers as she slowly turned onto her side. A moment later, her eyes opened slowly before focusing on him. She returned his smile and wiggled closer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good morning,” She yawned. Five chuckled and wrapped an arm around her to pull her against his chest. “Did you sleep well?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Better than I have in years,” He confessed. Letitia smiled proudly at his statement and reached up to push a stray lock of hair out of his face. “I only wish I could’ve slept longer.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia yawned again and reached up to wipe the sleep from her eyes. “But there’s something you need to do,” She finished. Five nodded slowly and frowned as Letitia sat up. “Then I suppose I’d better get dressed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five sat up as well. “You want to come with me?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course I do,” Letitia slid out from under the covers and walked over to the closet to pluck another copy of Five’s uniform to pass to him. “I’m never leaving your side again if I can help it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He took the uniform and stood from the bed as Letitia wandered over to the door. “Meet me back here, darling?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded and smiled at him over her shoulder. “Okay, dearest.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One change of clothes and a quick trip outside to hail a cab left Five and Letitia inside said cab on the way to Meritech Labs. The city passed by them in a blur as Five carefully pulled something out of his pocket to show Letitia. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I found this when I got stranded in the future, and I think it’s going to help me pinpoint the cause,” He explained as he held up a glass eye just out of the driver’s sight. Letitia frowned and gently plucked it from him to inspect. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you find a serial number on it?” She asked. Five nodded. “And I’m assuming they’re manufactured at Meritech?” Five nodded again. “You’re going to run into a problem with patient confidentiality, you know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shrugged and took the eye back from her. “We’ll figure that out if it comes up.” His stomach rumbled and caused him to wince. “And then we’ll find something to eat.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smiled. “We can go to a diner, they’ll have coffee for you too,” She suggested. Five smiled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know me so well, darling,” He murmured as his hand rested on her knee while his eyes turned to gaze out the window. Internally, Letitia preened at the praise, but she said nothing in response as the cab pulled up to a curb outside Meritech. “Let’s go.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five exited the cab as quickly as he could, with Letitia following after she paid the driver, and the two of them easily crossed the distance between them and the building to open the door and make their way into the lobby. Upon entering, Letitia’s nose wrinkled in distaste. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s too clean in here,” She muttered as she and Five debated on how to approach the desk. Five sighed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They do work in the medical technology field,” He reminded her. Letitia rolled her eyes and gestured around at the almost entirely white room they were in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Would it kill them to have a pop of color?” She drawled. “Aside from grey, that is.” Five shrugged and didn’t respond as a man exited his office and paused at the reception desk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can I help you?” He asked while appraising the two teens, one of which was in a school uniform while the other was in a pair of high waisted pants with a long-sleeved red blouse on top. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five turned and walked over to the man while holding up the eye. Letitia stayed a few feet away, watching the interaction with narrowed eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I need to know who this belongs to,” Five explained. The man stared at him, flabbergasted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where did you get that?” He wondered. Five rolled his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you care?” He snapped back, earning a raised eyebrow from Letitia. The man looked between him and the eye, causing Five to roll his eyes. “I found it in a playground, actually. It must have just,” He made a popping sound with his tongue. “Popped out. I wanna return it to its rightful owner.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, what a thoughtful young man,” The receptionist praised with a small smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia bit back a snicker at the statement while Five barely held back the irritation building within him at this utterly mundane interaction. He looked over at the receptionist with a fake smile that exuded charm to those who didn’t understand its falseness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, look up the name for me, will you?” He requested. The receptionist frowned while the man from the office moved to interject. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um, I’m sorry, but patient records are strictly confidential,” He explained. “That means I can’t tell you-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know what it means,” Five snapped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man winced as Five and Letitia stared him down. “But, I’ll tell you what I can do. I will take the eye off your hands and return it to the owner,” He offered. “I’m sure he or she will be very grateful, so if I could just-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five took a step back as the man reached for the eye. “Yeah, you’re not touching this eye.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia winced at his tone and moved to stand behind him, her hand coming up to rest on his shoulder as she flashed a smile at the man in charge. “I apologize, sir, it’s just that my boyfriend here really wanted to return the eye in person,” She explained sweetly. “He has a family member in a similar situation and this just really hit home for him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry to hear that ma’am, but you have to listen to me when I tell you-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s patience ran out. He lunged forward and grabbed the lapels of the man’s jacket while Letitia took a step back and rubbed her temples idly as she watched. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, you listen to me, asshole,” Five sneered. “I’ve come a long way for this, through some shit your pea brain couldn’t even comprehend, so just give me the information I need, and I’ll be on my merry way.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man started to respond, but Five shook him harshly by his coat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And if you call me ‘young man’ one more time, I’m gonna put your head through that damn wall,” He threatened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shivered at his words and watched with eyes that were rapidly dilating at the sight in front of her. Oppositely, the man in Five’s grasp looked over at the receptionist desperately. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Call security,” He choked out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five looked over as the receptionist nodded and dialed the number before growling and shoving the man away. He turned on his heel and made his way over to Letitia, who offered her hand to him without a word. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They could feel the worried gazes of the morons behind them burning into their skulls, but their respective frustrations made it so they couldn’t give a damn. Five gripped her hand tightly and pulled her out the door, noting with intrigue how she stumbled after him with shaky breaths and dilated pupils. He smirked with smug pride and instead of heading back to the road to catch another cab, he led her around several corners to push her against the wall of the building and kiss her harshly, not giving a damn if any cameras caught them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia moaned and brought her hands up to run them through his hair, the feeling of her nails lightly scratching at his scalp eliciting a moan from him. Her back arched into him as his hands wandered, tracing the outline of her bra and squeezing the curves of her hips until they hooked under her thighs and hoisted her up. Five shivered as her legs wound around his body on instinct, and he quickly took advantage of the new position to grind his erection into her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you weren’t wearing pants right now,” He growled into her ear as his hips continued to thrust into hers, “I’d fuck you right here, against this wall.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’d hear no complaints from me,” Letitia managed to gasp out before leaning over to suck at his neck, her lips paving a burning trail across his pale skin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five groaned as she nipped lightly at the skin, and adjusted his grip so one hand was at the small of her back while the other moved to her front to dip into her pants. Letitia gasped at the contact and arched further, pushing herself against his hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His fingers drifted further down until they hit the smooth fabric of her panties, the feeling of which caused his brain to short circuit for a moment before they continued their path. He curved his hand slightly and cursed under his breath as he cupped her clothed pussy in his hand, feeling the warmth and wetness through the fabric. Letitia wriggled against him in an attempt to get more friction, her hand reaching down to cover his own over her pants, and cried out when Five bit her neck in response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No topping from the bottom, darling,” He reminded her. Letitia whimpered and fought every impulse to grind herself into his hand, but she was soon left with no choice as Five pulled his hand away and lowered her to the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five,” She whined softly, her head falling forward to rest on his chest as her legs fidgeted. “Don’t be mean…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He smiled and tilted her head up to press a quick kiss to her lips. “I’m not being mean, I’m reminding you of the rules,” He murmured before grabbing her hand and leading her back toward the road. “If you can follow them next time, I’ll reward you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia scowled at that and grumbled the whole way to the cab, which took them back to the Academy so they could find another way to get the name of whoever owned the glass eye. Beside her, Five felt his body relax completely after their pleasurable little exercise; the feeling of control always had that effect on him, even if he didn’t get the chance to cum. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya raced up the stairs of the Academy, her body moving instinctively as she followed the long-since memorized route to Five’s bedroom, and gasped in relief when she caught sight of him standing in front of the window while Letitia lounged on his bed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, thank God,” She breathed out, causing Five to turn towards her while Letitia continued staring at the ceiling. “I was worried sick about you two.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry,” Five replied, only slightly insincere due to the lingering hurt from her comments from the previous night. Vanya shook her head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, look, I’m the one that should be saying sorry,” She admitted. Five raised an eyebrow and crossed the room to stand in front of her. “Yeah, I was dismissive, and I-I guess I didn’t know how to process what you were saying. And I still can’t, to be honest.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five sighed. “Maybe you were right to be dismissive.” He scoffed. “Maybe it wasn’t real after all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wrong,” Letitia called out from the bed. Vanya and Five looked over at her. “If you were lying or delusional enough to think it was real, I would be able to tell.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A smile graced his face. “Well, it certainly felt real. Dad would probably say it contaminated my mind, though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You should talk to someone,” Vanya suggested. “And I don’t mean Letitia, I mean someone who’s equipped to deal with this.” Five frowned at her. “I know a therapist, I could give you her information.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shook his head. “Thanks, but I think I’m just gonna get some rest,” He decided. “Last night was the first time I slept well in years, I have a lot to catch up on.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya nodded slowly. “Okay,” She whispered while taking a step back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia and Five watched as Vanya turned and left the room before descending the stairs. Once they couldn’t hear her footfalls, Letitia leaped from the bed and bounded over to Five’s armoire and opened its doors to reveal Klaus. She grinned down at him as he tumbled out with a clatter as objects followed him and hit the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s so,” Letitia grabbed his hands and pulled him to his feet. “Touching. All that stuff about family and Dad and time. Wow!” Klaus applauded with a smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Would you shut up?!” Five hissed. “She’ll hear you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus turned to look down at Letitia. “Your boyfriend is mean,” He stage-whispered, earning a giggle from the blonde. “Very very mean.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia looked over at Five and winked. “It’s a good thing he’s sexy as hell then,” She teased. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five forced the impending blush from her words away and glared at Klaus. “I thought I told you to put on something professional.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus looked down at his outfit and back up at Five with a pout. “This is my nicest outfit!” He defended. Letitia nodded in agreement. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Having seen the development of Klaus’ wardrobe over the years, I can attest to that statement’s truth,” She admitted. Five sighed exasperatedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll raid the old man’s closet,” He decided. Klaus shrugged and followed him while holding Letitia’s hand in his. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Whatever, as long as I get paid,” He reminded his brother. Five rolled his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When the job is done,” He shot back. Letitia sighed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You two are ridiculous,” She murmured. “Completely and utterly ridiculous.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus shrugged. “I suppose,” He looked back at Five. “Oh, just so we’re clear on the finer details, I just gotta go into this place and pretend to be your dear old Dad, correct?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded once. “Yeah, something like that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And, is itty bitty Tish your baby sister or…?” Klaus trailed off and looked over at Letitia. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shuddered and shook her head violently. While it was true that she had been raised as Five’s ‘sister’, it had stopped being the truth of how they felt for one another years ago. “That’s disgusting, and I already introduced him as my boyfriend, so no.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gotcha,” Klaus turned back to Five. “So, what’s our cover story?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s frown deepened. “What? What are you talking about?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I mean, was I really young when I had you? Like, sixteen? Like, young and terribly misguided?” Klaus asked with dramatic sighs and hand gestured. Letitia snickered at him while Five shook his head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sure-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus gasped. “Your mother, that slut! Whoever she was, we met at,” He paused and chucked. “The disco. Okay?” Letitia nodded absently. “Remember that for me, Tish.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What a disturbing glimpse into that thing you call a brain,” Five muttered irritatedly while reaching out and snatching Letitia’s hand from his. “Come on, darling.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t make me put you in time-out!” Klaus shouted as he followed them across the house to their father’s old room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia and Five rolled their eyes at the comment and continued walking away, hoping to get this over with as soon as possible. They had unfinished business to attend to, after all.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey everyone, I hoped we enjoyed this chapter! I'm having so much fun writing this story, and I can't wait to get the next half of this episode out soon. Please leave a comment telling me what you thought, they really do motivate me to write more and update faster. Thank you for reading, and have a great day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Run Boy Run (Part 2)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Trip back to Meritech Labs, a small fluffy scene, and the first appearance of Hazel and Cha-Cha!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Klaus frowned deeply as he looked in the mirror at his reflection, who wore a suit from their deceased father and could not have looked more out of place. He looked over at Five and Letitia, who had matching expressions of defeat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’ll do,” Letitia decided. “Besides, this shouldn’t take longer than a half-hour at most.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded slowly. “In the meantime, I can try to burn this image out of my head,” He muttered before turning on his heel and dragging Letitia from the room with Klaus following just behind them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know, you could stand to be a little kinder to him,” Letitia murmured in Five’s ear as they exited the house and hailed a cab. “He is doing a massive favor for us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He could stand to be a little less of a clusterfuck,” Five shot back with a glance at Klaus as they took a seat in the cab. “But hey, what are we gonna do?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia sighed and looked over at Klaus. “So, how long are you staying this time?” She asked. Klaus shrugged. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not much longer,” He fidgeted in his seat. “No point in hanging around the house when I can’t get high in peace. Besides, I think I should be asking you that. Where are you going to go now that lover boy’s back?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five rolled his eyes at the title. “Don’t call me that, Klaus.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A fond smile appeared on Letitia’s face as she glanced at Five before turning back to Klaus. “I suppose I’ll go wherever Five goes. It’s what I always planned on doing, no better time to do that than now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus hummed and looked out the window at her words, leaving Five to wrap his arm around Letitia’s shoulders and pull her to his side. For the rest of the cab ride, nothing else was said aside from various questions and answers about the little stunt they were about to pull. Finally, they arrived at Meritech and climbed out of the cab. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now, dearest, try not to lose your cool this time around,” Letitia warned. “As much as I love you, I don’t want to explain how their entire security staff ended up with torn ACLs or broken ankles.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five huffed. “It’s not my fault they’re complete and utter morons, darling,” He replied, his arm still around her shoulders as he led them to the doors. “Besides, you could probably take them out with just a dislocated shoulder. It’s not like they’re professional killers.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia raised an eyebrow as they walked up to the receptionist. “Really? I had no idea,” She drawled with palpable sarcasm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus snickered. “You know, you two do act like an old married couple,” He remarked. “All Five needs now is to actually look like the old geezer he really is.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His two siblings shook their heads and turned to the receptionist. “We’re here with my father to speak to someone about the missing eye I found,” Five declared. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You should speak to Mister Biggs. His office is just over there,” She replied without missing a beat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five blinked at her lack of resistance and shrugged before turning and leading Letitia and Klaus to the office in question. He pushed open the glass door with ease and noted happily that Mister Biggs was already there and seated at his desk. Klaus immediately took a seat while Five and Letitia remained standing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, have you come to return the eye?” Biggs questioned with a raised eyebrow. Five’s hands clenched into fists and he looked over at Klaus, who leaped into action immediately. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Actually,” He paused and held out his hand to shake. “Hello, I’m his father, nice to meet you. We came here to get a name for the owner, not to give it to a middleman.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Biggs sighed and folded his hands in front of him on the desk while Five loomed over the other side of it with a dangerous glint in his eye. Behind him, Letitia stood with a bored expression as she watched people walk up and down the hallways through the glass walls of the office. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Like I said to your son earlier, any information about the prosthetics we build is strictly confidential,” He repeated. “Without the client’s consent, I simply can’t help you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five leaned forward, his lips curled in a sneer. “Well, we can’t get consent if you don’t give us a name.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Biggs shrugged. “Well, that’s not my problem. Sorry.” He sighed. “Now, there’s really nothing more I can do, so-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And what about </span>
  <em>
    <span>my </span>
  </em>
  <span>consent?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia and Five looked over at Klaus as the strange question left his lips. Five watched as Letitia carefully made her way over to Klaus, her brows pinched together with worry and her hands slightly outstretched in a placating gesture. Biggs’ attention swiveled to Klaus with a confused expression. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” He wondered. Klaus stared at the man, his expression entirely serious and seemingly somewhat distraught. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who gave </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> permission,” His voice cracked as tears welled in his eyes. “To lay your hands on my son?” He finished while pointing at Five, who blinked several times. Letitia bit back a groan as she realized what he was going to do. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” Five and Biggs questioned in unison as Letitia took several steps back, well aware of the firing range Klaus had when he pulled one of these schemes off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You heard me,” Klaus shot back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five averted his gaze to the ceiling as he prayed for anything or anyone to shut his brother up in the moment. Biggs glared at Klaus. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t touch your son,” He snapped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh really?” Klaus drawled. He leaned forward and braced his hands on his knees. “Well, then how did he get that swollen lip, then?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He doesn’t have a swollen-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>CRACK. Letitia winced as Klaus stood up, turned and slapped Five right across the face in one fluid motion. Five’s head snapped to the side from the blow as a shout of pain broke past his lips. He stumbled away from the desk, clutching his lip with his hand. Letitia ran over and gently pulled his hand away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shit, sorry about that,” She whispered as she carefully ran a finger over his lip and watched as it stitched itself up, leaving only a small splotch of blood and some redness in its wake. “I didn’t know how to talk him out of this without fucking it all up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five opened and closed his mouth to test out his lips. “Does he do this kind of shit often?” He asked under his breath. Letitia nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It actually works out really well most times,” She admitted. “So I’d just sit back and watch the show at this point.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two of them turned their attention back to their brother, who leaned forward and braced himself on the edge of the desk. “I want it. Name, please,” Biggs gaped at him in shock. “Now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Biggs slowly raised his finger to point at Klaus. “You’re crazy,” He stammered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A breathy chuckle escaped Klaus as he grinned at Biggs. “You got no idea,” He agreed. He looked down, and his smile widened at the sight of a snowglobe on Biggs desk. Klaus picked it up and held it up to inspect it. “‘Peace on Earth’. That’s so sweet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>CRASH. Letitia sighed while Five watched in amazement as Klaus bashed the globe against his head, sending water, glitter and glass across his skin and Biggs’ desk. Biggs flinched away in horror as Klaus groaned in pain while he buckled slightly at the knees. He raised his head to reveal rivulets of blood skidding across his skin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh… God that hurt!” Klaus declared in a pained and somewhat guttural voice. Biggs lunged and grabbed his phone from his desk, his fingers nervously tapping at buttons. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m calling secur-” Klaus ripped the phone from his hand and held it up to his own ear as it connected to the security department. “What are you doing?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia grinned as Klaus adopted a pitiable whine of a voice. “There’s been an assault,” He gasped in pain, “In Mr. Biggs’ office, and we need security now. Schnell!” He screeched before slamming the phone onto the receiver. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait for it,” She murmured into Five’s ear. “Show’s not over yet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now,” Klaus continued. “Here’s what’s gonna happen, Grant.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It-it’s Lance,” Mister Biggs’ stammered. Klaus rolled his eyes at the clarification while Letitia and Five watched the interaction with smug pride. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“In about sixty seconds, two security guards are going to burst through that door, and they’re going to see a whole lot of blood, and they’re going to wonder, ‘What the hell happened?’. And we’re going to tell them that </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Tears streamed down Klaus’ face as his voice cracked. “Beat the shit out of us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia then stepped forward and smiled sweetly at Klaus. “Can I just add one thing?” She asked. Klaus grinned and nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five gaped at them as the cut on Klaus’ scalp widened with a flick of Letitia’s wrist. Klaus’ smile widened as Letitia pulled away to inspect her handiwork. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There, now he’s more likely to be charged with aggravated assault,” She chimed, grinning as Biggs spluttered at her words. “Anyways, continue.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus turned back to Biggs with a cheery smile. “You’re gonna do great in prison, Grant. Trust me, I’ve been there. Little piece of chicken like you. Oh my God, you’re gonna get passed around like a,” He trailed off as his hips swirled in a circle that made Five shiver with disgust. “You’re just- You’re gonna do great. That’s all I’m saying.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Biggs looked between the three of them with terror in his eyes. “Jesus you’re all sick bastards,” He breathed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia beamed and took a dramatic bow alongside Klaus. “Thank you, sir,” She said mockingly, her eyes flashing with a dangerous gleam as she straightened and linked arms with Five. “Now, how about that name?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five grinned as Biggs slowly rose from his chair and led them out of the office to another counter where hundreds of files were kept. He and Letitia remained on one side while Klaus sat atop the counter and watched Biggs rifle through the papers with a careful gaze. A few minutes later, Biggs pulled a file out of a bin and opened it on the countertop. His eyes scanned the papers for a short while before they narrowed as a frown formed on his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, that’s strange,” He murmured to himself. Five scowled and leaned closer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” He demanded. Biggs glanced up for a second and then back at the file. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh, the eye. It hasn’t been purchased by a client yet,” He explained quickly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus frowned as well and slid off the countertop to read over his shoulder. “What? What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Biggs looked between Klaus, Letitia, and Five. “Well, uh, our logs say that the eye with that serial number…” He trailed off and took a closer look at the log. “This can’t be right. It hasn’t even been manufactured yet.” Biggs looked up at Five, who could feel the blood draining from his face. “Where did you get that eye?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s hands clenched into fists as he shook his head. Letitia sighed and looked back up at Biggs with a false smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for your help, we’ll be going now,” She jerked her head in a motion for Klaus to follow them as they walked away. “And don’t say a word about this or I’ll break something worse than that snowglobe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Biggs nodded and swallowed as he watched the most-likely demented trio take their leave from his office. Once outside, Five turned to Klaus and Letitia with a scowl. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, this is not good,” He stated. Letitia hummed and took out a handkerchief from her pocket to dab away the dried blood on his lips. Klaus, however, grinned at them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was pretty good though, right?” He put his hands on his hips and launched into a reenactment. “‘Yeah, what about </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> consent, bitch?’” A high pitched giggle escaped him. “Hey, mind cleaning me up too, Tish?” He asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia pulled away from Five, who glared at their brother as she walked over, and got to work with closing his wounds and wiping away as much of the blood, water, and glitter as she could. Five gave a frustrated growl as he sent a fiery glare at the building. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus, it doesn’t matter,” He pointed out. Klaus raised an eyebrow at Five as Letitia finished wiping up what she could. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? What? What’s the big deal with this eye, anyway?” He questioned. Five stormed over to stand before him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There is someone out there who is going to lose an eye in the next seven days,” He explained. “They’re going to bring about the end of life on this Earth as we know it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia tossed her handkerchief in a nearby wastebasket and followed Five as he pushed by Klaus, who turned and followed them with a scowl, and his hand held out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, can I get that twenty bucks, like, now, or what?” He asked, causing Five to turn towards him while Letitia cracked open her wallet. Five scoffed at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your twenty bucks?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, my twenty bucks.” Letitia fished out a ten and began counting some ones. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The apocalypse is coming, and all you can think about is getting high?” Five demanded. Klaus shrugged. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m also quite hungry,” He added. “Tummy’s a-rumblin’.” He made a soft groaning sound as Letitia counted up the bills in her hands. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shook his head slightly. “You’re useless,” He muttered. “You’re all useless! Every single one of you aside from Lettie.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus glared at his brother as he began walking away before he was distracted by the feeling of hands wrapping around his own and money being pushed into his hand. He looked down at Letitia and smiled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why, thank you, baby sis,” He said as he pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. Letitia sighed and looked up at him sternly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know you’re gonna get high no matter what I say, so please promise me that you’ll find somewhere safe to crash, okay?” She instructed. “And if you need to you can call me, I’ll always come and get you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus nodded and hugged her tightly before dashing off, leaving Letitia to turn and walk over to sit beside Five on a set of stone stairs. She leaned and rested her head on his shoulder, her lips curved into a smile as he rested a hand on her thigh and rested his head atop hers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out,” She promised. “We always do, no matter what.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>An hour later, Five and Letitia were situated inside a diner, a cup of coffee and a plate of eggs and toast for each of them atop the table. Old-timey music played through the speakers, surrounding them in a nostalgia reminiscent of their mother, who embodied the fifties in physical form. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know you drank coffee,” Five said as Letitia took a sip from her cup. She smiled at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I started drinking it after you left,” She admitted. Five quirked an eyebrow in response as a smug smile spread across his lips. “It took me forever to be able to tolerate it black, but now I actually enjoy it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good to know you took up at least some of my good taste,” He teased. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia rolled her eyes and picked up her fork to stab her yolk, which spilled over the whites. “I have plenty of good taste, I’ll have you know, and it was mainly so I could be closer to you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s smile softened and he reached across the table to take her free hand in his. “I did something similar,” Letitia took a bite of her eggs and watched him as he spoke. “Whenever I went to a library, I would go to the fantasy section and reread Lord of the Rings until my eyes hurt.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes widened in shock. “That was-” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your favorite series,” Five finished as he sipped his coffee. “I remembered. Kind of hard to forget it when you begged me to read it to you every time we snuck out and went to the library.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smiled at him. “You’re a real sweetheart, you know?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five winked at her. “Whatever you say, darling.” He set down his cup of coffee and took a bite of his scrambled eggs. “What else did you do, you know, after I left?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She didn’t reply for a long while and pushed her food around the plate as she thought it over. “Well, most of my life became training and studying,” Letitia took a deep breath. “And then Ben died, and everything got a little harder. After that, I mostly devoted my time to Klaus and missions.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A past conversation wormed into Five’s mind. “Vanya said-” He began. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That I was punished for Ben?” Letitia finished. Five nodded slowly and tensed when she gave a short nod in response. “She’s right, I was punished. But so was everyone else, so it’s not like I was singled out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes narrowed. “She said you took the brunt of the punishment, which sure as hell sounds like being singled out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia winced and cursed Vanya to hell internally. Her eyes avoided Five’s in favor of the window, where she looked out onto the street and the masses of pedestrians that occupied them. She felt him squeeze her hand and peered at him from the corner of her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you don’t want to tell me yet, then that’s okay,” He assured her. “I just wanted to know what happened to my darling.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She sighed and turned back to him. “It’s just,” She swallowed and raised her gaze to him. “It’s just a lot, and I don’t know how to explain it all to you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded in understanding. “It took me a long time to figure out how I would explain what happened to me when I next saw you,” He confessed. “I think I almost drove Dolores insane with my ramblings.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did she give you any good advice?” Letitia asked with a small smile, thankful for the subject change. Five laughed softly and nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She did. It was pretty much, ‘Don’t be an idiot and remember that she loved you to death’,” He explained. Letitia tipped her head back as she laughed, appreciation blooming in her heart for the mystery woman known as Dolores. “She thought you were amazing, given what I told her about you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smiled at him. “I wish I could meet her,” She murmured as she took a bite of toast with blackberry jam. “She sounds pretty amazing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five fidgeted nervously. “You can if you’d like,” He offered. Letitia’s eyes widened. “I got her address from the tow trucker at Griddy’s, I’m sure she’d love to meet you too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His anxiety melted away as Letitia nodded excitedly. “I’d love to! Can we go tonight?” She asked. He nodded and beamed at her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course we can,” He promised. “We’ll go as soon as I know we’ll be able to have some privacy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s smile grew, and the rest of their meal passed remarkably quickly with happier conversation and yummy food. Once they finished up, they went around to find leads for the glass eye until nightfall, at which point Five said they could head over to Dolores’ place. With a quick jump, the two of them stopped by the Academy to grab the car before they were off across the city. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five tried to ignore the excitement and anxiety swirling in his gut as they approached Dolores’ home, a department store known as Gimbel Brothers, especially when Letitia’s lips turned down in a slight frown. He quickly pulled the car into a spot and parked it before turning to her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dolores spends most of her time here,” He explained. “It’s easiest to find her after closing, especially when you want to talk to her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, okay,” Letitia unbuckled her seatbelt and moved to open the car door, but Five was already there and doing it for her. “Two nights in a row of such chivalry? What have I done to deserve this?” She teased. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five rolled his eyes and took her hand in his to help her out of the car before closing the door behind her. “You existed, now come on. I don’t want to keep her waiting,” He urged. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded and walked beside him, letting Five control the pace as they sped up the closer they came to the door. She frowned when she noticed the locks on the doors. Her worries subsided, however, when the familiar sensation of a spatial jump enveloped her and they appeared inside the building. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That was probably a better idea than breaking a door down,” She mused. Five pulled a flashlight from his pocket. “Now, where’s Dolores?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not too far,” He murmured. “Follow me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His hand never left hers as he led her down the aisles until they reached the women’s section, the flashlight illuminating their path slightly better than the dull glow of lights beneath the mannequins. They were silent as they walked, not even whispering to each other, and only paused whenever Five saw something. Finally, just as they passed a quartet of faceless mannequins, Five stopped in his tracks with the flashlight pointed straight ahead. Letitia followed his gaze and frowned ever so slightly as they landed on a trio of mannequins, ones that had faces. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on,” He whispered, leading her over to the trio as his flashlight settled on the one in the middle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia followed him wordlessly until they came to a stop right in front of the statues. Five sighed as he stared up at the one in the center who had a deep brown wig on as well as a blouse and skirt combo. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dolores,” He greeted, causing Letitia’s eyes to widen by a fraction. The two of them stared at the mannequin, who remained silent. “It’s good to see you.” Five blinked several times as tears stung his eyes. “I’ve missed you, obviously.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sadness brimmed in Letitia’s mind as she listened to the interaction between the man she loved and his dearest friend. She realized now, that no matter how much she thought she had understood what he’d gone through, that she had no idea how much damage isolation had wrought on his mind. So, she did what she knew best. She adapted to this new side of Five and turned her attention to the mannequin with a kind smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five smiled at the sight of Letitia’s own smile and gestured between her and Dolores. “This is Lettie, the one I kept telling you about,” He explained. “Lettie, this is Dolores: my best friend.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia took a step forward and clasped one of Dolores’ hands in hers as a way of greeting. “It’s lovely to meet you, Dolores,” Her smile never wavered. “Thank you, for taking care of Five while he was gone. It means the world to me, to both of us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The mannequin didn’t say anything to Letitia, but Five’s smile grew as if in response to something Dolores had said. “She is delightful, isn’t she?” His adoring gaze locked on Letitia. “Mom named her Letitia cause it means joy, and that’s what she’s always brought to my life.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a pause that Letitia didn’t fill with her own words, realizing Five was having his own moment with Dolores. So, she released Dolores’ hand and moved to stand beside him, her head resting on his shoulder. Five suddenly sighed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, it’s been a rough couple of days,” He admitted. “But Lettie’s been her usual self, so that’s helped a bit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes narrowed as they caught a hint of movement behind the mannequins. Her eyes widened as she pinpointed the tell-tale shape of two people carrying guns, one with a cartoon bunny mask and one with a bear mask in a similar style. She lunged for Dolores just as Five noticed them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No!” He screamed as Letitia’s arms locked around Dolores and gunshots fired off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five threw himself to the side as Letitia rolled under a rack of clothes, Dolores in her arms. Well, the top half of Dolores at least, her legs had fallen off in the fray. Letitia frantically began to crawl as her powers extended in an attempt to find the life signals of whoever the fuck was shooting at them. She looked up as Five’s fingers locked around her arm and pulled her to her feet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We need to go!” She shouted with a gesture at Dolores. Five’s eyes widened and he nodded quickly before turning and sprinting down the aisles. “Jesus Christ, who the fuck is after you, Five?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No time to explain!” He shouted back as shirts and pants exploded around them in shreds of fabric amidst the torrent of bullets the two strangers were raining down on them. “Just keep running!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia cursed under her breath as one of the shooters turned their fire only on her, sending a wave of bullets she couldn’t avoid completely. A hiss escaped her as the familiar sting of a bullet ripping across the skin of her side echoed through her body. Five’s body tensed with fury as he looked back at the shooters before pulling Letitia and Dolores into a rack of clothing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where were you hit?” He demanded. Letitia grabbed his flashlight and showed the right side of her shirt, which was torn open and darkening with blood. “Close it up, now!” He ordered. Letitia nodded and did as he bid while Five looked back over at the shooters and paled. “Oh shit! It’s them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who?!” Letitia shouted as she repositioned Dolores to gain better access to her wound. Her lips pursed as she pressed her hand into the wound and forced it to close. “Five! Who are they?” She repeated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No time to explain!” He turned back to her and cupped her face in his. “Stay safe, I’ll be back for you. I promise.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nodded quickly in response and pulled Dolores closer to her body as she forced herself to hide within the rack of clothes while Five stood and broke into a sprint. She looked down at Dolores with a tense smile as gunshots followed Five’s movements. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Was he always this reckless, or is that new?” Letitia stared at Dolores intently and nodded. “Yeah, I thought he was too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s head snapped up as she heard the tell-tale sound of Five doing a spatial jump. She moved to look for him when a voice echoed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You see that?” It was a woman’s voice, coming from the shooter wearing the bunny mask. They paused in their shooting as she spoke. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You said he was special. So now what?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia frowned at the male voice from the bear. Clearly they knew who Five was, so this was a premeditated attack. She forced her body lower to the ground as the shooters continued moving around, and smiled at Dolores. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, we’ll be fine,” She murmured. “Five’s taking care of it as we speak.” She listened closely as the female shooter responded to her partner. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You start over there, I’ll go to the other end. Meet in the middle. Shoot anything that moves,” She ordered, sending a spike of terror into Letitia’s chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The tiny blonde looked around desperately before forcing her muscles to relax and her body to army crawl across the floor from rack to rack. Dolores was pressed against her chest as she moved in an attempt to hide them from view even further. Letitia bit back a sob of relief as she managed to wriggle her way into a changing room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re okay, Dolores, we’re okay,” She whispered almost silently. “It’s gonna be fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Across the store, Five reached out and snatched up a trowel with a serrated edge and rotated it in his grip. His mind was on a lethal autopilot cultivated by his time away, one that would do anything and everything to protect himself and his two girls. He smirked down at it and jumped again, his arm whipping out to the side just as the female shooter appeared in front of him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Warm blood splashed onto his clothes and skin, sticky and disgusting. Five grinned as the shooter went down with a groan before looking over the racks in an attempt to spot the other one. His eyes locked on the bear mask just as bullets shot from his gun and streaked through the air. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The jump was instantaneous and threw him out of the line of fire, but it also gave a moment of recovery for the female. Five cursed himself for not hitting her carotid instead of her arm. Sparks showered over him as bullets nicked the metal railings, forcing him to duck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five looked up from the floor and spotted Letitia’s shoes under the door to a changing room. He scrambled over as bullets continued racing above him in an attempt to bury themselves in his flesh. Letitia looked up as he wiggled under the door and beamed at him, her arms still latched around Dolores. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“See?” She looked down at Dolores. “I told you he’d come back.” She looked back up at him. “The gunshots made her nervous,” She explained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five didn’t know whether to kiss or hug her at that moment, so he settled for the third option of grabbing her hand and leading her out from the changing room, where the shooters spotted them instantly. They pivoted and opened fire on Five, Letitia, and Dolores, who were forced to dash down the aisles in the opposite direction. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hold on tightly!” He shouted while pulling his hand from Letitia. She nodded and grabbed his shoulder like a vice. Five moved his hands in front of him and watched as the beginnings of a portal formed. They ran through it... </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And remained in the store. The gunshots ceased. Five froze as memories from the last time this happened flooded back. He looked over his shoulder at his darling and his best friend. The shooters carefully reloaded their weapons. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shit,” He breathed out. Five faced forward and brought his hands together again. The energy crackled around them instantly, but there was no portal. “Come on!” He shouted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get down!” Letitia screamed before slamming her body into his side, the unexpectedness of the motion enough to force Five to the floor. Gunshots resumed and continued shredding clothes and blowing holes in the walls. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five leaped to his feet a second later and ran forward with Letitia behind him. He quickly ran over to a display and scaled it before landing on the other side. “Lettie! Throw Dolores to me!” He screamed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia quickly adjusted her grip on Dolores before sending her flying over the display and into Five’s arms. She rushed forward and reached out for the display, intending to scale it as he had, only to be blocked by another wave of gunfire. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck!” She shouted before ducking down and going into a roll as she dove around the side to Five, who picked her up instantly. Letitia gasped for breath as they attempted to stumble away, only to freeze as the lights from the shooters’ guns illuminated the floor around them. “Oh shit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Got ‘em!” The female cheered. Letitia spun around to face them, her arms shooting out in front of her with a bright yellow glow surrounding them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Take this, bitch!” She shouted before pulling her arms back to her side and watching as the shooters crumpled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes widened, but he didn’t stick around to gloat as police cars pulled up in front of the store with sirens wailing. Letitia paled and forced her powers to dissipate before taking Five’s hand and following him to the side of the store, where they disappeared behind a cashier station.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia fell to her knees as soon as they were out of sight. Her chest heaved with each breath and her body was positively shaking from adrenaline. Five’s arms wrapped around her tightly, crushing her and Dolores to his chest in the process. For a while, they just sat there; covered in blood and sweat, and unable to breathe properly as their bodies fought to relax.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Later that night, when they returned to the Academy and were greeted by Luther and Allison with worried tones and an attempt to force them to talk to them, neither Five nor Letitia said a word. They waited until they were in the safety and privacy of Five’s room to sink to the floor and sob, their arms around each other, and Dolores squashed rather awkwardly between them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was on that floor that they remained until morning, unable to muster up the energy to move to the bed. Thankfully, the floor wasn’t that hard when you had your lover to use as a pillow. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi everyone, it's me again! I hope you enjoyed the double upload, I had a lot of time and inspiration with which to finish this episode out so yay! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter, I was so excited to introduce Dolores, and I hope you all have a great rest of your evening. Thank you again for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Extra Ordinary</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>WARNING. Massive lemon ahead!! (It's most of the chapter, I'm not joking)</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>ABOUT LETITIA'S POWERS:</p><p>She has what I'm calling Anatomical Manipulation, where she can break, put back together, and move the location of different body parts on herself or others. She cannot change her appearance though, this is not extending to shapeshifting.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Letitia awoke the next morning, she found herself with two heads using her body as a pillow while her own was propped up by Five’s jacket. She smiled at the sight of Five’s head on her chest and looked further down to see Dolores’ on her stomach. Her hand came up to run her fingers through Five’s hair as he and Dolores continued sleeping while her eyes drifted up to stare at the ceiling. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lettie…?” She looked down to see Five’s eyes slowly opening. “Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She chuckled softly and moved her other arm to wrap them both around Five. “I’m perfect, Five. Just couldn’t sleep anymore.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five hummed in response and snuggled closer to her to nuzzle against her neck and rest his head in the crook of her shoulder. Letitia smiled at the sight and returned to running her fingers through his hair, eliciting a groan from Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That feels so nice,” He mumbled. “Don’t stop.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia tried not to let the feeling of his lips moving against her skin affect her as she continued her motions. “Okay, I won’t,” She promised. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nuzzled her neck again as his eyes shut with bliss. “I’ve missed this,” His arm tightened around her waist. “There aren’t any good snuggles after the apocalypse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neither of them said anything else as one of them continued enjoying the sensations of a cuddle while the other grappled with a painful realization that accompanied Five’s words. He was touch-starved. Her beautiful Five was touch-starved and had been for decades, most likely. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s free hand started rubbing Five’s back slowly while her eyes blinked back salty, stinging tears. She pressed her face into his hair a moment later and took a deep breath while holding him tightly. Five frowned and pulled away to look up at her, only to wince in pain as a burning sensation erupted from his right arm, just below his shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two jumped apart and sat up, revealing a small pool of blood beneath them that had seeped from a cut on Five’s arm. Letitia’s brows furrowed and she looked at Five, who nodded, before taking his arm in one hand and hovering the other over the gash. Within a moment, the gash knitted itself back together and then disappeared from view. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There you go,” Letitia pulled her hands away reluctantly. “Good as new.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five quickly rotated his shoulder and moved his arm from side to side to test it before nodding. “Perfect, as per usual,” He smiled at her as he spoke. His eyes then slid over to their new companion. “Sorry about that, Dolores.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He reached out and picked her up gently to prop her up against the wall while Letitia bolted out into the hallway to grab some towels and get them wet. When she returned, she took his arm in her hands again and gently dabbed at the bloodied skin until it was cleaned up before turning to the floor. Five slowly stood and stretched as she wiped away the blood until the floor was good as new, at which point she stood as well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, where are we going today?” Letitia asked while putting the towels in a pile. “Back to Meritech to see if we missed anything? Around the city to figure out who’s after you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five winced as he went to his closet and grabbed another set of clothes. “I already know who’s after me, unfortunately, and we are going back to Meritech but we’re not going inside.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia looked up with a confused frown. “You know who’s after you?” Five nodded as he pulled on a new shirt. “Well, who are they?” She asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Their names are Hazel and Cha-Cha, they’re,” He trailed off. “Old colleagues of mine. From the future.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turned back to Letitia as he put on his tie. She cocked her head to the side, still confused. Then, she shook her head and walked over to adjust his slightly-crooked collar. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay. Do we care if Hazel and Cha-Cha die in the aftermath of us defending ourselves?” Letitia wondered as she moved to stand behind him and pull his coat onto him. “Or are they free game?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five frowned at her questions. “You don’t want to-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Know how you had colleagues after the apocalypse, especially ones that want to kill you?” Letitia finished. “I do, but I’m not going to pry. If it becomes imperative for me to know something, I know you’ll tell me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He blinked at her as she moved back around to stand in front of him and appraise his appearance. “Thank,” He swallowed and reached up to brush a stray hair from her face. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smiled at him and reached up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. “No need to thank me, dearest. Now, give me a moment to get changed and then we’ll head out,” She turned and walked over to the door before pausing. “Is Dolores coming with?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded. “Only if you don’t mind, of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Letitia shook her head fondly. “I’d love for her to come. I’ll grab her something new to wear and a bag to carry her in so no one asks questions,” Letitia decided before bounding from the room and into her own. Five gaped at her as she left before smiling adoringly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia returned within minutes with her hair in a ponytail and a grey dress clothing her figure with long sleeves, a hem that ended at her knees, and a neckline that left very little to the imagination. In her hands sat a pale pink blouse with lace detailing and an unassuming black duffle bag. Five swallowed as he took in her appearance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You look great,” He complimented. Letitia smiled at him before bending over to scoop up Dolores, the sight of which made his trousers tighten and his hormones rush through every inch of his body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” She moved Dolores to sit on Five’s bed. “Does Dolores like pink? I thought she might, but I have other colors if she’d prefer,” Letitia offered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five cleared his throat and looked over at Dolores. “What do you think?” A pause. “I think that color will look lovely on you.” Another pause. “Okay.” He turned back to Letitia. “She likes the pink.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded and unfolded the blouse before setting it aside. “Does she mind if I undress her?” She wondered. Five shook his head no. “Alright, thank you, Dolores. This will only take a moment.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her fingers moved quickly as she pulled Dolores free of her shirt from the department store as well as the undershirt before replacing it with the pink blouse she’d selected. Once the shirt was in place, Letitia pulled out another handkerchief and gently dusted Dolores off from the small bits of debris still lingering on her head. She then pulled away to inspect her handiwork before picking Dolores up and bringing her to the mirror. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, what do you think, Dolores?” She asked. “Do you want a hat or a bracelet to round it all out?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five smiled at them. “She says it’s perfect, and thank you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia beamed at Dolores through the mirror. “I’m glad you like it! Now, let’s get a move on,” She turned and passed Dolores to Five before opening the duffle. “I picked one with a lot of room, in case Dolores gets claustrophobic.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Five looked between Dolores and Letitia, “She does get nervous in small spaces, especially since she lived in such a wide-open one.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Letitia nodded in understanding and slid the duffle bag over to him, which he carefully deposited Dolores into before zipping it shut. True to Letitia’s word, the bag was incredibly roomy and he knew Dolores was more than happy with her choice. Once it was secure and strapped to his back, he turned back to Letitia as she slipped on a pair of flats. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ready to head out?” Five asked. Letitia nodded and followed him over to his bedroom window. “I figured we’d use the fire escape instead of braving Allison and Luther.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hummed and pushed the window open before sliding out and onto the metal platform outside it. “Yeah, they seemed really frantic last night. I bet they’re forming more conspiracies about Dad’s death,” She mused as Five followed her outside and shut the window behind them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re idiots,” The two of them began their descent down the stairways of the escape. “And desperate to have something that doesn’t exist.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Indeed,” Letitia paused at the sound of someone rustling through plastic and peered over the railing to see Klaus standing in a dumpster. “What the fuck did he take?” She wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five followed her gaze and shrugged. “Who knows. At least he made it back in one piece,” He stated while resting a hand in the small of Letitia’s back to guide her further down the escape. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That's true, I suppose,” Letitia hummed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dammit, where’s Dad’s stuff?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia and Five shared a look at that before shaking their heads and continuing on, ignoring the rest of Klaus’ ramblings as they reached the ladder leading to the ground. With a cheerful sort of chirp, Letitia flounced forward and grabbed each side of the ladder before sliding down, landing on the pavement with a soft thud. Above her, Five carefully went down the ladder one rung at a time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tish!” The two of them looked over at Klaus. “Wanna help me-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus, we’d ask what you were up to if we cared,” Five interjected coolly. Klaus rolled his eyes and leaned against the edge of the dumpster. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know there are easier ways out of the house, buddy?” He pointed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five rolled his eyes and jumped off the ladder to stand next to Letitia. “This one involved the least amount of talking.” He turned to walk away with Letitia. “Or so I thought.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smiled over her shoulder at Klaus. “I’m sorry about him, we had a rough night and there’s lots to get done today.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus grinned at them. “You need any more company today? I could uh, clear my schedule.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A scoff resounded from Five. “It looks like you’ve got your hands full.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, this?” Klaus gestured at the dumpster. “No, no. I can do this whenever. I’m just-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>CRASH. Letitia winced as Klaus slipped and tumbled backward while Five shook his head disappointedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just misplaced something, that’s all,” Klaus paused. “Oh! Found it! Thank God!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia felt bile rise in her throat as Klaus resurfaced with a half-eaten donut in hand. “Klaus, that’s disgusting. Don’t you dare put that in your mouth,” She ordered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus pouted at her. “But, Tish-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, Klaus, you can’t eat,” Her eyes widened as Klaus shoved the donut in his mouth, causing her to gag and Five to shudder in disgust. “Okay, I’m done here.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded and grabbed her hand to lead her away. “Couldn’t have said it better myself, darling.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, don’t go!” Klaus whined as they made their way over to a van. “Look, Tish, I’ll spit the donut out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Too late Klaus!” Letitia shouted back. “We’ll see you later, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus pouted as the two of them climbed into the van and started the engine before driving away. Inside the van, Five steered with one hand while the other held Letitia’s as they sat in their respective driver and passenger seats. Between them sat Dolores, who had been pulled out of the bag partway by Letitia’s careful hands. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When did his drug habit get that bad?” Five wondered. “Last time I saw him he was just on weed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia sighed. “It kicked up a lot after Ben died. He was scared of seeing Ben if he was sober, so he turned to heroin and ecstasy pretty quickly to avoid that,” She explained. “I’m worried it’ll only get worse now that Dad’s gone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five cringed. “Yeah, the thought of seeing Dad as a ghost doesn’t exactly inspire happy thoughts, not gonna lie.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A hum escaped Letitia in response as her head leaned back against the headrest and her eyes slid to look out the window. Five watched from his periphery as she stared out at the city and its masses before being distracted by her other hand moving to clasp his hand between both of hers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A shiver worked its way up his spine at the contact, the warmth her delicate hands brought, and he suddenly wanted it all over him. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he sped up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five?” Oh god, when did her voice turn so sweet and sensual? “Five, are you alright?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His shoulders went slack as her hand slid over his arm and up the limb to rest at the nape of his neck, her fingers tangled in his hair. He could feel her thumb rubbing the back of the hand she was still holding, the touch sent tingles across his skin. There was a rustle of fabric as Letitia leaned closer to him over Dolores. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five, dearest,” Her pet name for him rumbled like a purr in his ear. “What’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five could barely breathe. His clothes were stifling, his skin was burning, and it was all because of the delightful darling perched on the seat beside him. He wanted her. All of her. And he always got what he wanted. He felt his jaw clench as he scanned their surroundings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A dark smile curved across his lips as he suddenly hung a right into an alleyway. Letitia gasped at the movement and clung to Five as the centripetal force fought to send her away from him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The van screeched to a stop, tucked out of sight and away from the prying pedestrians that wandered the city. Letitia stared at him with wide eyes as Five undid his seat belt and turned toward her with a gleam in his eyes she knew well. She leaned forward until she was mere inches from him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get in the back,” Five ordered, his voice low and husky as his pupils dilated. Letitia swallowed and licked her lips. His eyes narrowed. “I won’t say it again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a flurry of fabric and limbs as Letitia climbed into the back of the van, her legs trembling with anticipation as she did so. She fought to regain control of her breathing as Five stalked after her, his entire demeanor that of a predator following its prey. His eyes were dark and full of sin as he settled across from her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ve always been such a darling,” He whispered hoarsely as his fingers reached out and grazed her ankle, sending a shock through her body. “So willing, so sweet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shivered as his fingers moved up her legs. Her hands tangled in the fabric of her skirt as his hands hooked behind her calves and gripped them as he surged up to stare into her eyes. He watched her carefully as she stared up at him with doe-like eyes. His eyes drifted from her face, down to her throat- why was the sight of her swallowing so appealing? - and further down to her chest, which heaved and bounced with each breath. He shivered and brought his gaze back to her own. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lettie,” Five breathed out. His hand moved from her leg and followed it up to the curve of her hip, the dip of her waist, the swell of her breasts, and the slender column of her neck before cupping the back of her head. “My beautiful Lettie.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His grip tightened, tugging on her hair gently as he lowered himself until their lips barely brushed together. Letitia shivered and fought the urge to rise to meet his bait. Five smirked and moved his head to the side, brushing his lips against her jaw. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“All these years, and you still remember how this works,” He murmured. Letitia moaned softly as Five pressed an open-mouthed kiss to her neck, just below her jaw. “Yes, darling, let me hear you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia trembled as Five continued his path down her neck, darkening marks he’d already made and forming new ones with each nip of his teeth. She moaned again, louder, as Five’s free hand snaked up her leg to the inside of her thigh. His fingertips were softer than flower petals as they just barely brushed against the milky-skin beneath them. She could feel heat pulsating where she wanted him most, where she needed him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Such control,” Five whispered with pride. “Oh, darling, how shall I reward you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He moved forward, his body pushing her legs apart as he settled between them. His gaze turned downward as the fabric of her dress’ skirt tumbled away from her knees to bunch at her hips. Five groaned as he caught sight of the damp spot blossoming in her panties. His hand released her hair and joined its partner on her other thigh before he gripped them both tightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please…” He looked up at Letitia as she tilted her head back. “Please…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five could feel his erection twitch in response to her pleas. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s too early for begging, darling,” He leaned down and sucked at the spot below her ear that made her sing with strangled whimpers and moans. “I’m only just getting started.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia cried out and threw her head back farther and Five’s hand suddenly cupped her clothed pussy. Her grip tightened on her skirt as she struggled to keep her hands to herself. Her body shook in his grasp as he palmed the warmth and wetness beneath him. Five grinned at the sight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So very very sensitive,” He noted. “Good to know that hasn’t changed.” His hand retreated from her pussy until a single finger remained, tracing patterns into the sensitive flesh through her panties. After minutes that felt like hours, his finger hooked under the fabric and pulled slightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think it’s time for these to come off,” He decided. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes snapped open as the sound of fabric tearing echoed in the van. Cool air brushed against her flesh seconds later. Five moaned softly at the sight his actions had revealed and reached down to brush against her lips with two fingers. Letitia’s back arched in response as a moan tore itself from her throat. Her legs shook as she felt Five’s fingers suddenly spread her lips open to reveal her dripping center further. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, darling,” Five purred as he lowered himself down her body. “The things I’ve dreamed of doing to you.” His thumb reached up and brushed against her clit, garnering a whimper. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five…” She groaned. “Please, stop teasing me.” Tears welled in her eyes as Five’s thumb circled her clit firmly and slipped down her cheeks in salty trails of pleasure. “Oh… God…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A sigh escaped Five as he looked up at Letitia with a cocky grin. “As you wish,” He murmured with a wink before diving down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia screamed with pleasure as Five’s tongue licked a stripe up her dripping cunt, sending her nerve endings alight with burning pleasure. Her hips jerked forward as his tongue swirled around her clit, taking no prisoners as he devoured her. His hands came up to her thighs and held her in place as she trembled violently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five… more,” She begged. “I need you…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hummed as he continued licking and sucking at her lips and clit, spurred on by her desperate pleas and lustful moans as pleasure crashed over her in waves. Satisfaction filled him, along with a healthy dose of pride, as Letitia sobbed and arched with each touch that brought her closer to her peak. His eyes watched her face as her eyes squeezed shut and her lips parted with each sound. Five then decided to up the ante and pulled one of his hands away from her thigh on a steady path to join his mouth in playing with her cunt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes snapped open as she felt his fingers gently probe at her entrance, dipping ever so slightly into her vice-like warmth before they pulled away to trace patterns around it. She whimpered and arched her back, begging without words for something only Five could give her. Her body jolted as Five gently nipped at her clit, forcing her to cry out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Behave, darling,” He reminded her gently. Letitia wailed as he went back to sucking and swirling his tongue around her clit while his fingers drifted back to her entrance. He pulled away as they rubbed her outer lips firmly. “Is this what you want?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded desperately in response. Five rolled his eyes and turned to nip her thigh harshly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Use your words,” He ordered. Letitia gasped for air as the stimulation fed to the warmth building in her core. “Lettie, I can’t do anything if you don’t use your words.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia swallowed and sobbed with pleasure as she shook her head and tried to get her voice to cooperate. Five began to pull away, a disappointed frown sliding onto his face, when she suddenly managed to speak. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I need you inside me,” She choked out desperately, her hips arched in a tantalizing invitation. Five hummed and leaned over her to stare into her eyes with a sweet smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How, Lettie?” He wondered, shivering as Letitia whimpered and arched further. “No, no, tell me exactly what you want. That’s all you need to do, and then you can have it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia groaned and rubbed her thighs together in a bid for more friction. “Fuck me, Five. Fuck me, hard and fast,” She whimpered as her motions did nothing to soothe the ache within her. “Fuck me until I see stars, until I fall apart around you. Fuck me with your fingers, with your tongue, with your cock, just please, fuck me!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five smiled down at her as she took a breath and sobbed with need. He leaned down to press a quick peck to the tip of her nose. “See, was that so hard?” He asked sweetly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She didn’t have any time to contemplate his words as two of his fingers suddenly thrust into her cunt, rubbing and swirling against her walls furiously as he pumped them in and out. Her back arched as a moan echoed in the van, followed by breathy cries of his name. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five, Five, Five!” Letitia chanted desperately as Five’s fingers sped up, rubbing against that special spot within her and tightening the coil of pleasure in her core until she was sure she’d snap in half. Five leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, drinking up her whimpers and cries as his tongue danced with hers. His body pressed against her as he felt her walls fluttering around his fingers, felt her cunt tighten impossibly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia screamed as her orgasm drowned her in euphoria, shattering her vision like a bullet through a pane of glass, deafening her mind with sheer delight. Her back arched impossibly high as her body shook beneath Five, who watched in awe and adoration as she slowly descended from her high. He smiled as she relaxed and withdrew his fingers to lick them clean. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mmm, that was delicious,” He whispered before capturing her lips with his. Letitia moaned as he pulled away a moment later. “Don’t you agree, darling?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She mumbled something unintelligible as her arms came up to encircle him, but froze midway through the gesture. Her eyes forced themselves open to look up at him, and Five shivered at how little of the brown iris he could see around her dilated pupils. His smile grew and he reached up to grab her hands, their fingers lacing together instantly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think it’s my turn now,” Five decided. Letitia’s eyes widened and her hips tilted up on instinct, causing Five’s smile to turn feral. “Someone agrees with me it seems.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia gasped as Five ground down against her center, the fabric of his pants far too pleasurable against her overly sensitive pussy. Her hands tightened their grip on his while she gasped for breath. Five leaned down and pressed a kiss to her neck before turning his gaze back to her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ready, darling?” He asked, not one to skip that important question. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His darling nodded feverishly, her skin glinting as a stay beam of sunshine reflected off the thin sheen of sweat on her brow. Five kissed her once again before reaching down and quickly undoing his fly to pull out his painfully hard cock. Letitia gasped at the sight, her memories failing her at that moment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Someone’s excited,” Five purred in her ear as he guided himself to brush up against her cunt. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Very </span>
  </em>
  <span>excited,” He amended.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t tease, dearest,” Letitia breathed out, her gaze moving back to his dark green eyes. “We both know you want this as much as I do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five let out a ragged moan at her words and pressed his face into her neck, savoring the scent of the only woman he’d ever loved as he began pushing himself inside her. Letitia moaned at the sensation, the utter delight of being filled to the brim, and reached up with her free hand to run her fingers through his hair. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you do that,” Five growled against her skin as tight, velvety heat enveloped his cock. “I won’t hold back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia sighed happily as he bottomed out inside her and yanked Five’s head back by his hair. She flashed him a teasing smirk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who said I wanted you to?” She wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s control snapped like a charred twig at her words. He watched as Letitia’s smirk morphed to a face of lewd pleasure as he pulled away to grip her hips tightly, the motion forcing him somehow deeper inside her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You asked for it, darling,” He crooned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia whimpered as Five pulled out before snapping his hips and slamming his cock deep inside her, setting a furious pace that had her crying out obscenities that their father would’ve caned her for. Her hands fumbled for anything to grab onto as her body rocked back and forth with each thrust, eventually settling for a long pole amongst the stacks of equipment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, God, yes,” She cried out. “Fuck, Five, oh my God.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five groaned as her body bounced beneath him, and with a gleam of desire he reached up to the neckline of her dress before yanking it down to reveal her breasts, clad in a pale nude bra. Letitia felt delirious as Five squeezed her right breast through her bra, his fingers instantly finding her pebbled nipple with ease. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re mine,” He breathed out as he continued his motions. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s grip on the pole tightened as Five tugged her bra up to expose her bare breasts to his gaze. He dove down immediately and took a bud between his teeth, tugging it harshly and groaning as Letitia wailed with delight. His mouth moved to press kisses, to nip, and to suck on the soft skin of each breast, creating a sinful map of desire across them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re mine,” Five repeated. “Mine. Only mine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her voice had almost entirely disappeared as Letitia continued to be fucked into oblivion, yet she had enough presence of mind to agree with him. “Yours,” She choked out. “All yours.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shivered at her admission and felt his thrusts rapidly lose their rhythm as his own orgasm caught up to him with each movement. “Fuck, you’re beautiful,” He murmured, letting his body fall forward to press his face into the crook of her neck as he continued thrusting. “You’re perfect.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five,” She keened as she lifted her hips to meet each of his stuttering thrusts, just knowing he was close. “Five…” Her legs wrapped around him as Five thrust one last time, a shout erupting from him as his cum shot into her cunt. “My dearest Five,” She crooned in his ear as he calmed down, slowly but surely. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shivered as Letitia’s wrapped around him and held him close as they basked in the afterglow silently. He nuzzled her skin and clung to her, the sound of her racing heart grounding him as he rode out his orgasm. Eventually, he raised his head to gaze down at Letitia, who smiled at him sweetly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” She whispered as her hand cupped his cheek softly. “So very much, my dearest.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t have held back the kiss that followed her words if he’d tried. “I love you too, darling,” He whispered between kisses and gentle caresses.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When they parted, his head fell back to the crook of her neck as his cock slipped from her pussy, leaving them both sated and happily relaxed on the floor of the van. That was where they remained until a thought occurred to Letitia. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you have another pair of panties I can wear?” She wondered. “I don’t think either of us wants me gushing all over the seats.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five cursed under his breath and pulled away from her. “Give me a moment,” He paused. “Are your panties still in the same drawer?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded and sat up as Five tucked his cock away and zipped his pants up. “Yep, bring me any pair you find.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He nodded in response before spatial jumping away and then returning a few minutes later with a new pair of panties in hand and a new pair of shorts on. Letitia blushed as she realized why he’d had to change, and carefully cleaned herself up with a handkerchief before slipping the panties on. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now, what?” She asked teasingly. Five rolled his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now we go to Meritech,” He decided. Letitia nodded and followed him up to the front seat before they drove off, in a far better mood than they’d been in earlier. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On the way, Five and Letitia had picked up ice creams to enjoy, strawberry for Letitia and chocolate for Five, which they had been halfway through eating when they were interrupted. Letitia raised an eyebrow at the sight of Luther and Klaus standing outside the van, which she’d locked the doors to immediately upon spotting the larger of the two. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you think they want?” She wondered. Five shrugged. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Roll down the window and find out,” He suggested. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded and took a lick of her ice cream before lowering the window a couple of inches. “What do you want, Spaceboy?” She asked mockingly, a fake smile plastered on her face. Her eyes flicked over to Klaus. “Hello, brother mine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hi, Tish!” Klaus chirped with a cheerful wave. “Mind if I come in?” He asked with a gesture at the back door of the van. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She looked back at Five, who shook his head no. Klaus pouted. “I’m sorry, Klaus, but Five said no, and he’s the boss.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Luther snapped. “I hate to break this up, but you two need to come back to the house. We think Mom had something to do with Dad’s death.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia quirked an eyebrow while Five rolled his eyes and tuned them out, choosing instead to continue watching the building in front of them while enjoying his ice cream. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, I’ll bite,” She took another lick of ice cream. “What makes you think that and what are you going to do about it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther glared at her, feeling utterly idiotic as he spoke to her through a three-inch gap in the window. “We found security footage of the night Dad died-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, does this mean I’m no longer the primary suspect?” She asked cheerfully. Luther’s hands clenched into fists. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Anyways,” He continued. “Grace was in the room when Dad had his heart attack, and didn’t administer first aid. Obviously her hardware is degrading and we need to shut her off so she doesn’t do something like this again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia scoffed. “What makes you think the hardware is degraded?” She wondered. “Dad kept her in tip-top condition, that would never have become an issue.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus’ eyes widened. “She has a point there,” He admitted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther frowned. “Then what do you think happened?” He demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She was tampered with,” Letitia stated as if it was obvious. “Someone switched off the ability to give first aid. If you go into her wiring while she’s attached to a computer, you might even be able to get a record of who did it, especially if she recognized who did it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She watched as Luther gaped at her. “How the-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s pure logic, truly. Then again, you were never very good at that,” She jeered with a smirk. “Now run along, we’re busy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Letitia-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bye-bye!” She called out while closing the window completely. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther glared at her, but one look at Five told him what a stupid idea it would be to try to break the window open. So, he turned and stormed off, leaving Five and Letitia to their stakeout while Klaus drifted away, having lost interest in their conversation entirely about thirty seconds prior. Letitia turned to Dolores. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I hope that you never have to deal with Luther personally,” She admitted. Five nodded in agreement. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s got more muscle than brains, by a multiple of at least ten,” He added, grinning widely when Letitia snickered in response. The two of them then finished off their ice creams and turned their attention back to Meritech, where a certain eye would eventually appear. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello again everyone! I felt so productive when I finished this chapter, you have no idea. It was also so much fun to write cause SMUT. Hopefully it went over well, please let me know what you thought about it since it was so extensive, and I hope you enjoyed the rest of the chapter as well! Thank you all for reading, please leave comments with your thoughts, and I hope to have more chapters coming soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Man on the Moon (Part One)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We have another visit to Meritech, some memories, Letitia pulls a somewhat stupid stunt, and Five ends up in a library.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The next morning, Letitia’s eyes narrowed from where she sat in the van with Five as the two of them watched Lance Biggs exit his apartment, which they had followed him to last night. She felt her muscles coil tightly in anticipation as Lance climbed into his rather ugly car after placing his dog in the backseat. Five slowly reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When we get there, snap his ankles,” He murmured in her ear. “I don’t want him to be able to get away.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five grinned as Letitia nodded in understanding. His fingers tightened around her shoulder, and a millisecond later they joined Lance in the car. The man yelped as he noticed the two teens in his car. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you-” A sickening crunch echoed from his ankles, which Lance followed with a cry of pain. Five lunged forward and pressed a knife against his throat while Letitia sat next to the man’s dog. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“One chance. That’s all you’ve got,” Letitia reached out to pet the dog as Five snarled at the man. “One chance to tell me exactly what’s going on in that lab.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance stammered until he felt the cool metal of the blade press further into his neck. “I… I manufacture prosthetic devices for fake patients. I bill the insurance companies and then sell them for cash on the black market,” He managed to explain. Tears dripped from his eyes as pain radiated up his legs from his ankles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Including eyeballs?” Five demanded. The blade nicked Lance slightly, sending a drop of ruby red blood down his pale skin. He swallowed before nodding. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, they’re my biggest seller,” He admitted. “I mean they sell like hotcakes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop stalling,” Letitia drawled as her hands glowed yellow once more. “Or your wrists will go the same way as your ankles.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five smirked at her before turning back to Lance, who seemed close to fainting. “Believe me, she will. All I have to do is give the order.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance coughed and blinked furiously as his chest heaved with desperate breaths. “I- I’ve got a waiting list,” He continued. “A waiting list, probably twenty buyers.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes narrowed as she and Five reached the same conclusion. “So, you lied to us yesterday,” She whispered coldly. Lance whimpered as her wrist rotated, causing the pain to triple as his ankle was shattered further. “When we asked you about the serial number.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes… The eye with that serial number could’ve already been bought,” He sobbed as Five shook with anger. “Off the books.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, you see, we’ll be needing that list now, Lance,” Five explained as a fake smile stretched across his lips and his voice turned cloyingly sweet. “Every name, every number, I need it NOW!” He screamed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance flinched while Letitia watched Five with pride. “I- I don’t have it on me,” He stuttered. “The only copy’s at my safe at the lab.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five glanced over at Letitia, who sighed disappointedly before flicking her wrist. Lance screamed as his ankle snapped back into place and sobbed as he reached down to clutch them tightly. His attackers, however, had no sympathy for the pathetic slug of a man in front of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Start the car, Lance,” Five ordered. “We need to take a little field trip.” Lance nodded slowly and did as he bid while Five turned back to Letitia. “Move the van back to Meritech, we’ll rendezvous there.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded and climbed out of the car with ease, the door slamming behind her as she made her way over to the van. As she climbed inside, she smiled at Dolores. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good morning,” She greeted while starting up the van and moving to follow Lance and Five in Lance’s car. “Yes, we’re meeting Five back at the labs,” She continued to the mannequin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a pause. Letitia nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We found out more about the eye,” She explained. “It might have already been sold on the black market.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dolores didn’t say anything else as they continued driving, seeming content to look out the window as Letitia herself often did in cars. So, Letitia did not protest and instead hummed to herself as she drove so as to keep herself preoccupied. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, in Lance’s car, Five was drumming his fingers on the seat with just the slightest hint of anxiety as his mind mulled over his decision to separate from Letitia. He knew he shouldn’t worry, she could take out multiple people with one motion. There was a part of him, though, that clung to the image of Letitia when she was younger, when she needed him to keep her safe. His mind drifted into a memory of one of the many times this occurred, and his hands clenched into fists. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>28 years, 1 month, and 8 days ago</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Four-year-old Letitia stared up at their father with confusion as he stood in front of her while she sat on an examination table. Across from them sat her siblings as they waited for their father to finish up with her so they could do their own training. She watched as her father reached into a drawer and pulled out a syringe. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hold still, Number Eight,” He ordered coldly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With confusion, Letitia blinked and did as he bid, allowing Reginald to grab her tiny arm in his hand and plunge the syringe into it. She winced at the sensation, and frowned as he pulled away to pick up his notebook and a pen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In a moment, you are not going to be able to breathe.” Letitia’s eyes widened in horror. “You must use your powers to force your lungs to inhale and exhale.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus was the first to make a sound of protest, but Ben slapped a hand over his mouth within moments. Between them, Five glared at the back of their father’s head while Letitia took as many deep breaths as she could. Suddenly, she froze and made a soft choking sound. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Concentrate, Number Eight,” Reginald reminded her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s mouth flapped open and closed as she tried to breathe again. Her hands reached up and clawed at her chest and throat as her face began to turn pink. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked to Pogo, who held the antidote in his hands. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everything burned. Spots were flying in her vision, her chest ached horribly, her ears roared with the rush of blood, she felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>miserable</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Her body suddenly slumped to the side, causing her head to collide with the metal table with a dull thud. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally, Reginald sighed and jerked his head at the tiny girl in front of him. Pogo rushed over immediately and injected the antidote into her body, his body slumping with relief as Letitia took large and greedy breaths as her lungs opened once more. Quiet sobs escaped her as she attempted to calm down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Quiet yourself, Number Eight, and join your siblings,” Reginald snapped while making a note in the journal beside him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded and leaped from the table to sit next to Ben, who pulled his hand away from Klaus to rub her back gently. She sniffled as she tried her best to calm down, but it was only when Five’s hand wrapped around hers behind Ben’s back that she was able to slow her breathing. Her eyes darted to his, and a weak smile appeared in thanks for the kind gesture. It disappeared, however, when Five turned a venomous expression on their father. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A moment later, he had teleported across the room and started destroying every syringe he could get his hands on. Someone, probably Allison, screamed as their father started shouting at Five while Pogo tried to get him under control. Letitia trembled in her seat with wide eyes as he didn’t stop until the room was in shambles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Number Five!” Their father’s expression was thunderous. “Your behavior is unacceptable. You will go to bed without dinner this evening.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The little boy didn’t care. His Lettie was safe, at least for now. He slid his eyes over to hers and flashed her the smallest of smiles, one that made a flower of warmth blossom in her chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>26 years, 3 months, and 25 days ago</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Number Eight!” Reginald called out as he stood in the opening of the hallway that led to his children’s rooms. “Come out here this instant.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia scrambled out immediately, her skirt fluttering around her short legs as she quickly made her way over to him. She didn’t even need to look behind her to see that Five was watching her from a crack in his own door. Her head bowed respectfully as she slid to a stop in front of their father. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s time for your training,” He explained. Letitia said nothing. “Follow me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five slowly pushed his door open as their father turned on his heel and led Letitia down the hallway. His steps were quick yet silent as he followed moments later, thankful for the abundance of columns and arches to hide behind. He frowned as their father opened the door to the courtyard and guided Letitia outside. As silently as he could, Five followed and watched from behind a window. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia stood in front of her father, her head tilted to the side as she stared up at him. Reginald sighed and reached into his coat to retrieve a long, thin, kitchen knife. He fiddled with it as Letitia’s eyes widened and she took a step back. She flinched as their father scoffed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Number Eight, you must overcome your fear of injury,” He stated coldly. “Only then will you be able to further unlock potential.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s body shook with rage as he watched their father grab Letitia’s arm in his large hand- she looked so small- and forced the knife into her hand. He could see gleaming tears dripping down her cheeks. Letitia shook her head frantically and pulled away from him desperately. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>CRACK. Letitia’s head snapped to the side as Reginald brought his cane across her face. She tumbled to the ground seconds later, the knife clattered loudly on the stone of the courtyard. Her fingers shook as she brought them up to a stinging gash on her cheekbone. Blood dripped from the cut, sticky and metallic. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lettie!” Her mouth dropped open as Five sprinted out to her, his arms wrapping around her with ease. She clung to him, her fingers clawed at his uniform jacket as they struggled to pull him closer. “Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Number Five!” Reginald snarled. “Back away from Number Eight this instant. She is in the middle of training.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This isn’t training!” Five shouted. “You’re hurting her!” He turned back to Letitia and pushed the hair from her face to reveal the cut. “She’s so small, you can’t hit her like that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Size means nothing, Number Five,” His eyes locked on Letitia in a fierce glare. “Number Eight will learn to be ferocious, adaptable, lethal, and completely capable of everything you and your siblings will be capable of.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five,” Letitia whispered as he stood to scream at their father more. He turned to stare down at her worriedly. “I’m okay. Go back inside, please.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go,” She begged. “I don’t want you to get hurt too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded slowly and walked away, but he didn’t go far. He watched the rest of the session, felt the fury rise within him as their father left cut after cut on her delicate skin, felt relief as she forced her skin to close, and the bleeding to stop. At the end, when she returned to the house with no evidence of injury, Five wrapped her up in a blanket and tucked her into bed. He hadn’t been able to prevent her from being hurt, but he could help now that they were together. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Present Day</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia gasped in horror as she pulled up to Meritech to see it in flames. She threw her seatbelt off and leaped out of the van. She paused and looked back at Dolores. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have to go! The list is going to burn if I don’t,” She shouted desperately. There was a pause. “ Stay safe, Dolores, and keep an eye out for Five,” She ordered before turning and making her way across the street. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She felt heat wrapping around her as she sprinted towards the smoking building, the smell of ash and smoke causing her eyes to sting with tears. Letitia forced herself to keep going, to ignore the fear in favor of the adrenaline beginning to trickle into her bloodstream. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, no, no,” She muttered as she made her way up the steps to the front door. Her hand reached out and grabbed the door handle before hissing in pain as it burned her palm. “Shit!” A moment later, the skin was healed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia forced her way through the doors into the building, climbing the stairs with ease as people struggled to force themselves out of the burning pile of brick and marble. Her lungs burned as she forced herself to hold her breath for as long as she could to avoid the smoke. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I just need to get to his office, I just need to get to his office,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>She chanted mentally. Her eyes continued to sting as tears slipped from them while cinders fell onto her pale skin and formed small blisters on it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The air was almost black with smoke and felt like the fire itself was licking her skin with how hot it burned. Letitia coughed wildly and dove to the floor to take a few greedy inhales before standing and continuing through the lobby to Lance’s office. The glass door opened with ease, and Letitia moved to crawl on the floor as she inched around to the other side of his desk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where,” She coughed again, “The fuck is it?” Letitia gagged from the scent of the smoke and her eyes widened as they locked on a small safe, tucked away under the desk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her lungs burned as she struggled to breathe through the smoke while she pulled the safe out from under the desk. Letitia cursed to herself at the weight and wiggled out from under the desk with the safe in her arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Letitia refused to leave the floor in favor of less smoke and pushed the safe across the floor with each movement she made. “Fuck, this is heavy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tears blurred her vision as she forced herself to continue out of Lance’s office, the air almost completely unusable as smoke continued to bathe it in stifling blackness. She found herself slowing as she reached the lobby and shook her head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have to keep going,” She reminded herself. “You need to get the list to Five.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This was her mantra as she continued her path out of the building. As ash flew into her lungs and forced her to cough until her throat was as rough as sandpaper. As smoke blinded her and caused her to almost fall down the stairs. She kept going, though. Meanwhile, Five and Lance were only just now arriving. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes widened at the sight in front of him. Smoke billowed up into the sky, flames licked the exterior of the building, the heat raged around them in a stifling embrace. He burst from the car just as it parked, and grabbed Lance by his jacket as they stormed over. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where is she?” He muttered as his eyes darted around, searching for the van. “Where the fuck is she?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ashes were falling into his hair from the sky, drifting to the ground like burnt snow. Five could feel his heartbeat speeding up, feel his breathing turn ragged. His vision blurred between the sight of Meritech and the burned Academy after the apocalypse. He could hear people screaming, fires roaring. Five’s body shook the closer they drew to the entrance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stopped in his tracks as he spotted something in the corner of his eye. The van. Five’s grip on Lance tightened and he forced the man to run after him as he approached the van. His blood rushed in his ears like a roaring rapid. Five threw the door open and stiffened at the sight of Dolores sitting alone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where is she?” He whispered, terror hitting him as Dolores stared back at him. “No. No, she wouldn’t-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five whipped around to stare at the burning building with wide and utterly terrified eyes. Dolores’ words rang in his ears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“She went to get the list.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia was in a burning building. A building enveloped in flames because of a fucking glass eye. Five body shook once more, but with rage rather than fear. A moment later, Lance let out a scream as Five shoved the knife into his thigh and shoved him into the van, locking it behind him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, I’ll be back for you,” He snarled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His mind registered the sound of Lance crying out from within the van, but his body did nothing about it. Instead, it turned and rushed over to the front entrance of Meritech labs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Letitia!” He screamed as he approached, praying she was still coherent, or at least coherent enough to reply. But, he couldn’t hear anything over the roar of the flames. “Lettie!” Five tried again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inside, Letitia could barely hear his cries. She gasped for air as she forced herself to move closer to the doors. Her eyes blurred with tears, but she grinned when she caught sight of his silhouette. Her hand reached up and stretched out, aching to be seen over the growing flames around her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes widened as he caught sight of a silhouette inside. He took a step back and prayed it was Letitia behind those flames as he forced himself to jump inside. When he arrived, he screamed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lettie!” She was on the floor, barely moving as she fought for air, a small safe was next to her. Five bolted to her side and looped his arm around her middle to lift her body and prop it against his side. “Lettie, can you hear me?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her chest heaved as she coughed. “Five…?” She looked up at him with watery eyes and a face coated in ash. Her lips curled into a smile as she pointed down at the safe. “I found the safe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five had never wanted to punish her more than at that moment. His jaw clenched with fury as he looked between the blonde and the safe. His fingers dug into her side as he bent down and scooped up the safe in his other arm. Letitia coughed again, a harsh and brittle sound that made Five’s vision swim between Meritech and the apocalypse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go,” He muttered before disappearing from the burning building and behind the van in a flash. Behind them, the building suddenly exploded, sending dust, glass, and other such debris into the air. Five set Letitia down on the pavement and began checking her over. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you get the safe?” Letitia rasped out, her voice hoarse and her breath rattling in her chest. Five ignored her and glared at the sight of burns dotting her body from cinders. “Five?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t talk,” He snapped. “You’re injured.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she did as he bid and clamped her mouth shut while turning her gaze up to the sky. Smoke streaked across the blue in a haze, sending the smell of ashes across the surrounding area. Five leaned down and pressed his ear to her chest as she breathed before turning her over and repeating the motion on her back. Rage and terror bubbled at the sound of her struggling to inhale. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You need medicine,” He decided. “We’re going back to the house.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She said nothing in response as Five picked her up bridal style and carried her to the other side of the van before depositing her in the passenger seat. Her head fell to the side as she fought with exhaustion as the adrenaline began to wear off. Five bit back the desire to kiss her cheek and run a hand through her hair, choosing instead to go to the back and grab the safe before throwing open the van doors to reveal Lance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five smirked at him and climbed into the van, watching with smug satisfaction as the man shivered with terror and struggled to back away. The safe landed on the floor of the van with a loud, metallic thud. His eyes darted to Letitia, who jolted slightly but did not turn towards him. He turned back to Lance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think you know what I’m going to ask for,” His voice was a low growl, “And I would suggest giving it to me quickly.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance shuddered and sobbed. “The- The combination…” Five reached down and twisted the knife deeper into the man’s leg, a shiver racing down his spine as Lance screamed. “It’s forty-nine, thirty-six, seventeen,” He cried out, pain sending him into delirium. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five grinned, his eyes shining with evil as he ripped the knife out of Lance’s thigh and turned to the safe. “If you’re lying,” He began turning the dial, “Then you’re going to get a front-row seat to what your intestines look like.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The safe clicked open a moment later, causing Five’s shoulders to slump with relief and the slightest hint of disappointment. Inside was a thick portfolio filled with papers that Five removed immediately and passed to Letitia, who held them on her lap. He then turned back to Lance with disgust as the man continued bleeding all over the van. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get out,” He ordered. “Get out and don’t come after us, or your spine will be tied in a pretty little bow.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance nodded frantically and stumbled out of the van, still bleeding profusely, leaving Five to climb out a moment later and join Letitia in the front row. He froze, however, when he looked up at the windshield. Letitia followed his gaze and gasped softly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Your brother says hi.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They both knew it wasn’t Diego, nor was it Luther. Those two were strong, they couldn’t get kidnapped easily enough, nor would someone be able to keep them captive for very long before they escaped. This left only one option. Letitia’s eyes filled with tears as her body shook. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus,” She choked out. “They took Klaus…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five didn’t know how to react. He was admittedly closer to Klaus than most of the rest of his siblings, he was Letitia’s second favorite after all. However, he had never worried about the man enough to know how to feel knowing he had been kidnapped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia scanned the rest of the windshield frantically until she spotted a small piece of paper under the wipers. Her eyes narrowed and a growl escaped her as she threw open the door and stumbled out. Five gaped at her before growling himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Letitia, you get back in the fucking car, right now!” He ordered as he exited the car as well. She wasn’t listening though. She was staring down at a piece of paper in her hands. It was red, with the name of a motel scribbled on it. “Letitia, get in the car!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They took him,” She repeated. “They took Klaus.” Her gaze lifted to his. “We need to get him back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five groaned and rushed forward to grab her shoulders and shake her roughly. “You went through a burning building!” He screamed. “You could’ve died, and you’re worried about Klaus?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia gazed up at him in shock. It was rare that he lost control this way, that he screamed at her with such terror. She knew it was fear, not anger. Well, at least not entirely anger. Her eyes watered as he continued his tirade, but she could barely hear him over the repeating thoughts of what might have happened to her brother. Finally, she ripped herself from his grasp and stumbled away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m getting Klaus back,” She decided. “I’m getting him back, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scoffed, his eyes dark and his body tensed like a coiled spring. “Letitia, if you do not get in the car, I will take you over my knee and spank you until smoke inhalation is the last of your problems.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s jaw dropped. “You wouldn’t,” She muttered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five quirked an eyebrow and took a step closer. “Oh, wouldn’t I?” Satisfaction rippled through him as Letitia stayed in place, knowing better than to run. “You just ran into a burning building and could have died,” He drew closer, “You have no idea what I’m capable of right now,” He whispered as his hand came up to tangle in her hair. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And you don’t know what I’ll do to keep Klaus safe,” She replied. Five’s brain froze at the blatant defiance and for just long enough for Letitia to do her damage. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He fell over as Letitia’s knee left his groin, and cursed his sixteen-year-old body for crumpling so easily. His eyes narrowed as he watched her sprint away, the card for the motel tightly clutched in her hand. Five groaned as he struggled to stand, and his eyes widened when he realized she had twisted knots into his leg while he was distracted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fucking hell,” He spat as he looked back up, only to pale as he realized Letitia was gone. He scrambled to his feet, his weight resting on his good leg, and looked around frantically. “Lettie?” No response. Just the sound of traffic. “Letitia?!’</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego and Luther shared a look as they entered the Argyle Public Library in search of Five, and by extension Letitia. Neither of them cared much for either of the two, make no mistake, but the appearance of two assassins who had described the two of them to a T had forced their hands. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s split up,” Luther decided. Diego rolled his eyes and nodded once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good thinking,” He drawled before walking away from his older brother. “Try not to kill Tish when you see her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther glared at Diego for the jab at his tenuous relationship with his youngest sister and turned away with a huff. From there, the two of them began their search of every aisle on every floor until they reached the last one. Diego sighed and looked over the railing as Luther approached. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Anything?” The older of the two asked. Diego shook his head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” He replied shortly. Luther started to walk away. “You wanna know why I left?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther froze in his tracks and turned back to Diego. “What? What are you talking about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why I left the Academy,” He elaborated. Luther scoffed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, ‘cause you couldn’t handle me being Number One.” Diego rolled his eyes and shook his head, causing Luther to frown. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No. Because that’s what you do when you’re seventeen,” He retorted. “You move out, become your own person, grow up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther laughed softly and rolled his eyes. “Oh yeah, what does that make Letitia and I? Kids?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego glared at him, a tad of his sympathy going out for his sister. “Letitia stayed because she made a promise to the guy she loved and that was the price to keep it, you stayed because you’re incapable of being away from Dad and his shadow. At least she and I make our own decisions.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh please, what kind of decisions have you had to make? Or Letitia for that matter?” Luther sneered. Diego hummed and turned towards him fully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ve never had to hold down a job. Pay bills,” He paused as a thought occurred to him. “Have you ever even been with a girl?” He wondered. Luther glared at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Am I supposed to believe that Letitia has done all those things too?” He snapped. Diego grinned at his agitation.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The next time he drags himself out of a crack den, ask Klaus who paid for his rehab and hotel rooms so he wouldn’t be on the streets,” He shot back. “Letitia might not have left that house, but she did her best by her favorites.” He paused. “I don’t think she ever slept with anyone aside from Five, though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you even defending her?” Luther demanded. Diego shrugged. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It pisses you off,” He answered simply. “And maybe, just maybe, you’ll change your life when you realize that Number Eight beat Number One.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther’s hands clenched into fists at that particular dig. “And why does that matter? She’s gone now too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego shook his head. “Look, if you want to blame her, me, any of us and the fact that we left for your problems, fine,” His eyes narrowed. “But you’re asking the wrong questions when you wonder why the rest of us left. You should be asking yourself: why did you stay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Luther stormed over. “I stayed because the world needed me,” He growled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A sigh echoed from Diego. “You stayed because you couldn’t let go of the way things used to be,” He stated simply. “The Academy. Dad.” He raised his eyes in a meaningful gaze. “With Allison.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther swallowed and looked away while Diego’s eyes widened with a realization. He pushed himself off the railing and stared up at his brother. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>That’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> why you resent Five and Letitia, especially now,” He breathed out. “They got what you wanted with her.” Luther didn’t say anything, but his eyes spoke volumes. “That’s just sad, man.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up,” Luther hissed. Diego turned away and opened his mouth to say something, but closed it a moment later and walked away. Luther blinked. “That was easy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Too easy, Luther soon realized before he followed his brother around the pillars dotting the railing of the floor. Within seconds, he caught up with Diego and gaped at the very thing he had noticed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Laying on the floor, with a bottle of whiskey, a portfolio, and the top half of a mannequin in his arms, was Number Five. They inched forward carefully, eyes peeled for the supposed impending arrival of Letitia. After all, she never strayed far from him if she could help it, never had since they were kids. Luther frowned as Five snored obliviously. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is he… um-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Drunk as a skunk,” Diego finished with a grin. Then, he frowned. “The bigger question is, where’s Letitia?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Across town, the girl in question watched from atop a tree as the two shooters from the department store exited their car and walked into the motel in front of her. Her eyes narrowed as she settled down on the branch, content to wait until the next time they left. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, Klaus,” She mumbled. “It’ll be over soon. I promise.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone, sorry about not updating for the last few days, I just moved into my dormitory yesterday so everything was pretty stressful. Anyways, I hope we all enjoyed this chapter, it was a fun one to write, especially with the changes I made and the two flashbacks I included. Please leave a comment with what you thought, and I'll hopefully be updating again soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Man on the Moon (Part Two)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Letitia goes to get Klaus, A LOT OF TORTURE AND BLOOD AND GORE HAPPENS, and an unexpected twist occurs.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Klaus was in hell, he was sure of it. Every muscle ached as if he’d just been beaten half to death. His body was shaking and clammy, he couldn’t stop crying, everything just </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He let out a strangled sob as pain continued to radiate from within, forcing tears from his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The woman who had appeared in the room earlier, the Russian one, was still muttering desperately under her breath. He could hear more voices approaching, some soft as leaves in a breeze and others louder than the bells of the greatest cathedrals in the world. Their hands traced ice-cold patterns on his exposed skin as they drew closer from the world of the dead. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He wondered if he was going to die here, utterly unnoticed by his siblings. He wondered if any of them would miss him, would try to look from his body. These worries didn’t extend to Letitia, but he knew Five. The boy had always been possessive of Letitia, ever since they were old enough to feel possessiveness. He could remember those days clear as day. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Go away, Klaus,” Five snapped. “Lettie’s mine.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Stop holding her hand!” Five ordered, his eyes blazing with a fire that only Letitia could douse. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The only consolation he’d had in regards to his confidence in regards to his relationship with his favorite sister, was that she wasn’t often afraid to defy Five for him. He struggled to smile through the pain as he remembered the times when Letitia would slip her hand away from Five’s and wrap her entire body around Klaus just to show she cared. His body shook as his mind strained itself to drain its supply of dopamine from the memory. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, it also didn’t help that his dead brother was making conversation all the while. Klaus squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to drown out the voice of Ben, sweet and loving Ben, in favor of finding some way to wade through the pain. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You know what I miss most about food?” Ben murmured. “The texture. Taste is easy to imagine, but texture? You can’t dream that up. The fluffiness of cake and the chew of a steak? Impossible.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a moment of respite before he continued. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I wonder what foods I’d like now,” He pondered. “Nothing too sweet, I think. Maybe grilled cheese?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Klaus groaned as he continued attempting to block out his brother. He was soon interrupted, however, by the sound of the motel door opening, followed by the closet door opening as well, and finally the sensation of his chair being dragged out of the closet. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Klaus shuddered and looked up at his kidnappers, a broad shouldered white man with a rather nicely shaped beard, and a woman with a blunt, shoulder-length bob. He mumbled behind the duct tape covering his mouth for several moments. The man, Hazel, rolled his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s he saying?” He asked, prompting the woman, Cha-Cha, to remove the duct tape. Klaus sighed with relief. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you sayin’?” Cha-Cha demanded. Klaus blinked blearily and looked up at their unmasked faces. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You guys are scarier without the masks,” He remarked softly. He chuckled. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>SMACK. Klaus’ head snapped to the side as Cha-Cha backhanded him. He winced at the sting of a gash on his cheek from her nails. His jaw flexed as he turned back to look at them with a mocking smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s no way to say hello to your old friends, is it?” He winced and stretched as best he could in the chair. “Can’t we call it a night? I already gave you what you wanted,” He fidgeted against his bindings. “Just, please… please let me go. Please.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cha-Cha rolled her eyes. “Well, technically, we want your brother. Is your brother here now?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Klaus scoffed. “No, he’s probably screwing Let-” He froze and clamped his jaw shut. “Someone. He’s probably screwing someone.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Next to him, splayed out on the bed, Ben narrowed his eyes with fury. “Klaus…” Cha-Cha and Hazel raised an eyebrow at Klaus’ words. “You are a fucking idiot,” Ben snarled. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Who?” Cha-Cha asked. “Who is your brother screwing? Was it that blonde bitch from the department store?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Klaus shook his head silently. Ben stood from the bed and ran his hands through his hair frantically. His shoulders were tense beneath his black leather jacket and hoodie. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So, it wasn’t enough to put a bigger target on Five’s back?” His hands clenched into fists as Klaus held back tears. “You had to put one on Tish’s back too?” Ben shouted angrily, looking about two seconds away from attempting to murder his brother from beyond the grave. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Just because he was dead, didn’t mean he didn’t know how his sister had grown up since his death. How she’d cried in his room with Klaus, how she refused to ask Klaus to bring him back despite wanting to so </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>badly, how she took his favorite books and kept them in her room just so she could read the notes he’d scrawled into them. How she had dealt with her father’s punishment for being unable to save him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If she gets hurt because of you,” Ben started, but he was cut off as a sound of anguish left Klaus. He sighed and shook his head. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He knew he was Letitia’s third favorite, with Five and Klaus taking their respective first and second spots in her heart, and that was the only reason he didn’t scream at Klaus then and there. The pain he was feeling, the fury at his brother’s selfishness and idiocy, could not compare to the torture Klaus’ mind was already inflicting on him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After all, it was Letitia who snuck into the crypt to keep Klaus company despite the punishments that inevitably came with it. It was Letitia who didn’t question why Klaus needed to get high, who supported him as best she could in an attempt to shield him from pain he didn’t need. Whenever Klaus needed anything, Letitia would never leave him hanging. She might have loved Five most, might have given her mind, body and soul to him, but Klaus still maintained a tight hold on a part of her love. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Deep down, Ben couldn’t help but wonder if he still had that same grip on a part of her love. The love that caused Letitia to heal whatever damage the Horror did to his body until it grew to be too much. The love that fuelled Letitia’s desire to intervene on his behalf, to make sure that if anyone was punished by their father when it was a choice between him or her, that Reginald would always choose her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think you’re lying,” Cha-Cha muttered, dragging Ben and Klaus from their thoughts. “Is she another one of you? Another freak?” Klaus stayed silent. “Well, we might as well get you some company. Maybe she’ll have something useful for us.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Klaus shook his head desperately while Ben groaned and punched the wall. “No, no, no, she’s got nothing to do with this, leave her alone!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Who is she to you?” Cha-Cha asked while walking over to grab a knife. “Who is she to Number Five?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No one, I swear,” Klaus sobbed. “She’s no one, she’s not a threat, she isn’t involved with this.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I find that hard to believe,” Hazel drawled. “Two dislocated shoulders apiece without her landing a blow seems like quite a threat.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cha-Cha nodded. “And her appearance at the cafe, the department, and at the lab suggests that you’re lying. And very badly, I must say.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hazel shared a look with Cha-Cha. “I think we need to follow up on the blonde.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The door clicked open. “No need,” Klaus froze at the sound of her voice. He turned to see Letitia leaning against the doorway. “I’m right here.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What the fuck?!” Cha-Cha moved towards her gun but didn’t get more than a foot away before both of her hips cracked open like an oyster shell. Hazel went down next, snapped ankles and wrists seemed suitable enough. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Klaus stared at Letitia in shock while Ben watched her, unseen, with tears shining his eyes. His hands reached out as if to hug her as she rushed over to Klaus, taking his face in her hands. She smiled at him with pink lips in a sea of gray as ash covered her face in a grimy coat. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” She whispered. Klaus nodded frantically. “Okay, let’s get you out of here.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You aren’t going to kill them?” Klaus breathed out with a nod at Hazel and Cha-Cha, who were staring at Letitia with terror and pain. Letitia shook her head and grabbed Cha-Cha’s knife to cut Klaus free from the chair. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think Five would enjoy that more than me,” She admitted while helping Klaus to his feet. Her eyes glittered as she looked back over at the assassins. “I am going to have some fun, though.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her wrist flicked, healing their broken bones, but her fingers tightened into a fist. Letitia grinned as their muscles coiled and twisted into knots that would leave them just capable enough of movement, but in quite a large amount of pain. Hazel and Cha-Cha bit back screams of pain as their muscles spasmed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What the fuck is wrong with these people?!” Hazel managed to get out. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Letitia hummed and ran her fingers through Klaus’ hair with her free hand. Behind them, Ben watched his sister and wanted nothing more than to be right next to her. Letitia guided Klaus over to the bed and forced him to sit down before taking all of the weapons out of reach and putting them in the closet. She then went to the bathroom and came back with a wet cloth. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hold still, brother-dearest,” Her voice was a gentle hum in Klaus’ ears as she gently wiped away the blood and closed his cuts. Klaus’ eyes drifted shut as he drank up the affection she showed him. “Oh, honey, they really did a number on you, didn’t they?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He managed a tight smile. “It’s not too bad,” His voice lowered to a whisper. “I think I freaked them out with my masochistic tendencies, though.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Letitia tipped her head back and laughed, the sound causing Klaus’ smile to relax and Ben to let out an unseen and unheard sniffle as he fought back tears. “You silly boy,” She pulled away and helped him sit up so she could get his back. “Does it feel better now?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Klaus nodded. “Much,” He admitted. Letitia frowned as she caught sight of his shaking. “Withdrawal is just a bitch.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A sigh escaped her lips and she pulled him into a hug. “You were so strong,” She whispered. “So strong and so brave to last this long.” Tears dripped from Klaus’ eyes. “I am so proud of you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His arms came up and crushed Letitia against his chest as a sob escaped his throat. “I- I-” Letitia shushed him gently. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You just rest,” She ordered. “I’m gonna give these two a slice of hell, and then we’ll go somewhere for a bit. Just you and me,” Klaus looked up at her. “Does that sound good?” He nodded. “Okay, then we’ll do that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Letitia pulled away a moment later and wrapped him in a blanket before grabbing Hazel and Cha-Cha and pulling them out so they were laying on their backs, on the floor. They stared up at the blonde, unable to speak through their fear. She stared right back at them, her fingers drumming on her thighs as she contemplated a million scenarios. Finally, she smiled brightly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s have some fun,” She chirped happily. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Luther sighed as he looked down at Five, hanging limply in his arms, and his belongings that he had refused to release from his vice like grip on them. He turned his gaze to Diego. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, we can’t go back to the house,” He pointed out. “It’s not secure. Those psychopaths could come back at any moment.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Diego didn’t even look at him as replied. “My place is closer. No one will look for him there.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Luther raised an eyebrow. “Except Letitia?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm, not even Lettie,” Five groaned from within Luther’s arms. “She’s very mad at me,” His lips curled into a snarl. “I’m mad at her too.” A belch escaped him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If you vomit on me-” Luther growled as he slowed to a stop. Five wasn’t listening, though. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You know what’s funny?” His head tipped back as he barked out a short laugh. “I’m going through puberty.” He scoffed. “Twice.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah, cool,” Diego interjected. “Where did Letitia go? Those psychos are after her now, too.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Five shrugged. “Some motel,” He mumbled. “She went to get Klaus back from them.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Luther and Diego froze in their tracks. “What?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Klaus. They took Klaus, and Letitia went after them,” He scoffed. “She was stupid. Ran right into a burning building to get me these files, and then turned right around to find him,” He smiled. “But I love her anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Diego raised an eyebrow. “You let her run off like that?” He wondered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Five scowled. “Didn’t have a choice,” He grumbled. “She kneed me in the dick and then ran off. Poof, bye bye Lettie.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A snicker left Diego while Luther tuned them out. “Damn, Tish really did that?” He paused. “Then again, it’s not surprising given how much she loves Klaus.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Too much,” Five muttered. “She’s being reckless.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He looked up as Diego frowned at him. “Look, Five, she may look eighteen, but she’s almost thirty-three. A lot of shit's happened since you left, and that did a number on her.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Five groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “What the fuck happened? People keep saying shit happened, but they don’t give any details. It’s not helpful without the details,” He rambled. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Diego shook his head. “If Tish didn’t tell you what happened, then I’m not saying shit. Now, who were the two masked intruders that attacked the Academy? They described you and Tish perfectly and seemed to know you pretty well.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A breathy laugh escaped Five. “Hazel and Cha-Cha,” He listed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Who?” Diego wondered. Five continued grumbling to himself. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, I hate code names,” Five looked up as Diego repeated his question. “Ah, best of the best. Except for me, of course.’</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Diego’s frown deepened. “The best of what?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Five ignored him and looked down at Dolores. “You’ve always hated when I drink,” He remarked. “I wonder if Lettie will too.” His face turned somber. “What if she doesn’t want to be with me cause I drink?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Luther rolled his eyes. “Letitia can drink Klaus under the table, I think she’ll be fine with you drinking.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A hum escaped Five. “Right, powers,” He reminded himself. “Easy to slow down your metabolism when you have those.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Diego had had enough. He whirled on his brothers and grabbed Five by the lapels of his jacket. “Hey! Focus! What do this Hazel and Cha-Cha want?” Five didn’t respond. “Look, we just wanna protect you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Five blinked blearily and giggled with a disbelieving smile. “Protect me,” He trailed off before his eyes narrowed. “I don’t need your protection, Diego. Do you have any idea how many people I’ve killed?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No…” Diego murmured. Five nodded and grinned. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m the Four </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking</span>
  </em>
  <span> Horsemen,” He stated while glaring at his brother. “The apocalypse is coming, and-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Diego jumped away from Luther as Five suddenly vomited onto the pavement, the entire bottle of whiskey coming up along with his meager snacks throughout the day. Luther shuddered as Five gagged and spluttered while heaving his guts out and adjusted his grip to avoid any of the vomit landing on him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Letitia smiled down at Klaus as she ran her fingers through his hair while he laid down with his head in her lap. Across the room, on the floor, lay Hazel and Cha-Cha: barely coherent and bleeding from many an orifice. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you think about where you wanted to go?” She asked gently. Klaus shrugged. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Somewhere warm,” He decided. “And somewhere exciting.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her smile grew. “I think we can do that,” She decided. Klaus smiled as Letitia’s gaze slid across the rest of the room. “What do you say about stealing some shit to help us out? Maybe they have some cash.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Klaus laughed softly. “I knew I had some influence on you,” He teased. Letitia leaned down to give him an affectionate kiss on the tip of his nose. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course you did, brother dearest,” She agreed. “Now, take a look around while I see what I can get out of these assholes,” Her back cracked as she stretched before rising from the bed. “Maybe they’ll be more inclined to cooperate now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She could hear Klaus rustling through Hazel and Cha-Cha’s belongings as she moved to sit crisscrossed in front of them. Her hand reached out to lightly pat Cha-Cha’s head, followed by Hazel’s, and she hummed with satisfaction as they blinked blearily and looked up at the sensation. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Good, you’re awake!” Letitia cheered. “Now, I have some questions for you, on top of your well-deserved punishment for shooting at my lover and torturing my favorite brother.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How can you tell the difference between the two?” Hazel spat coldly. Letitia leaned down to his eye level with cold eyes and a chilling smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Only one of them knows what my cunt feels like around their cock,” She dragged a finger across his face and watched as a gash opened in the flesh. “Now, no speaking unless spoken to, please.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cha-Cha watched with bile in her throat as the gash on Hazel’s face deepened and spread across his face to the point that his cheekbone was revealed. She turned her gaze back to Letitia as the blonde adjusted her posture. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s start with a very, </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span>, simple question,” Letitia began. “Why are you two after Number Five?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neither of the assassins said a word. Behind Letitia, Klaus cooed at the sight of a box of donuts from Griddy’s that he immediately began shoving into his mouth. The petite blonde girl between the assassins and her brother sighed disappointedly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, I truly don’t want to hurt you,” She cooed sweetly. Cha-Cha and Hazel shared a look. “But you’re making that very difficult for me.” Her fingers clicked and forced their kneecaps to shatter. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cha-Cha let out a whimper of pain while Hazel cried out fully, causing Letitia to mutter a soft tsk in response. A moment later, his vocal cords had a slash through the middle of them. His voice cut out, leaving Letitia to speak to Cha-Cha only. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I could have forgiven you for shooting at me,” She murmured. “Really, I could have. But, you decided to go after the two people I care most about in the world. After I’d already lost the third, who I never truly stopped caring about anyways.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ben’s eyes widened at her admission. Klaus looked up as Ben made his way over to sit next to Letitia, unseen and unheard by his sister. Letitia shook her head and continued. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And that, that is unforgivable,” Cha-Cha gasped as she felt a burning sensation in her eyes. “So, you can answer my expressions, get patched up, and be left for Five to finish you off, or I can leave you as rather pitiful sitting ducks.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Just kill us yourself,” Cha-Cha managed to snap out, even as Letitia continued to cut her eyes in half. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Letitia laughed softly. “Oh, but that would take the fun away from Five,” She left Cha-Cha’s eyes partially severed in half. “And I’m not one to do that to him. At least not very often.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hazel suddenly clicked his fingers over and over again. His eyes were wide with desperation as Letitia looked over with a raised eyebrow. </span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh? Are </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> ready to answer my questions?” She wondered. Hazel forced himself to give a small nod in response. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fascinating</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Alright, talk.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A moment later, his vocal cords merged back together and he was able to speak. He cleared his throat. “Number Five broke his contract,” He croaked. “We were sent to eliminate him for it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Letitia hummed in understanding. “And who sent you to do this?” She paused and shook her head. “Apologies, that wasn’t clear. Who is yours and Five’s employer?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cha-Cha glared at Hazel as best she could with almost no eyesight, just daring him to spill that particular secret. Hazel seemed to know better, though and ignored his partner in favor of Letitia.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s called the Handler,” His voice was still raspy from cries of pain. “She’s part of the Commission, she sent us.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Letitia grinned and stood up from her place in front of them. “Lovely, absolutely lovely. Thank you for that,” She replied happily. “We’ll be leaving now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Klaus pouted around a mouthful of a Boston Cream donut. “But Tish-” He whined. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, our work here is done,” Letitia murmured. “Grab anything you’d like, and we’ll head out in a minute.” She looked back over at Hazel and Cha-Cha. “Don’t you worry, you’ll be healed up in a moment. I just want to make sure we’re far enough away that you can’t shoot me in the ass.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re not going to ask more than that?” Cha-Cha demanded, stunned. Letitia laughed softly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s nothing more I need to know, at least nothing I want to get out of you,” Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “This Handler woman, however, is rather intriguing. I can’t wait to see what I can get out of her.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re a real sick bitch, you know that, right?” Hazel whispered, earning a giggle from the blonde. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course I do,” She agreed. “It’s kind of hard to miss something like that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Tish?” She turned towards Klaus. “I found a briefcase in the vent!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hazel and Cha-Cha froze before attempting to wiggle towards the vent in question. Letitia sighed at the action and turned back to deal a swift kick across each of their faces. The assassins spat up blood as their lips split open. The blonde turned back to her brother. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Grab it,” She walked over to watch him pull it out. “If it made these two willing to move, Five will probably have some sort of use for it.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Klaus nodded and loosened the screws enough to remove the plate from the vent and pull out the briefcase entirely. Letitia, meanwhile, made her way over to the bathroom and quickly washed her hands and face to freshen up as well as remove the traces of ashes that had remained on her skin. Once she was done, she went back out and reached out her hand to take Klaus’. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on, brother dearest,” She ordered. “We need to get you home and get some real food in your system.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He followed her without hesitation and shut the door behind him once he pulled his coat back onto his body. Letitia hummed and continued leading him out of the motel and down the street where a bus was pulling up to a stop. Klaus toddled behind her and climbed onto the bus before taking a seat, the briefcase in his lap. Once the bus pulled away, Letitia let her hands glow yellow and flexed them a few times before allowing it to dissipate. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Now,” She leaned against his shoulder and snuggled up. “Let’s see what’s inside this lovely thing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Klaus’ fingers made quick work of the latches on the briefcase, and in the back of his mind he hoped it was jewels, cash, or treasure. He did not expect, however, for a flash of blue light to envelop him and Letitia. They gasped as they felt themselves pulled away from the bus. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Letitia blinked wildly as she looked around, her hand still firmly around Klaus’ arm. Their eyes widened as they noticed the sprawling jungle surrounding them, as well as the massive army base. A man ran over to them a moment later. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nurse! Soldier!” He shouted as he approached. “What in the hell are you two doing over here?!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The siblings shared a look before turning back to the man. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nurse?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Soldier?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn right. Now, on your feet!” He ordered. The two of them rushed to a standing position. “Take your bag to Tent F, soldier! And you, nurse, go join your peers in medical,” A wide grin spread across his face. “Welcome to Vietnam.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Letitia gaped and looked up at Klaus as he struggled to breathe while the man walked away. “Klaus, what did you do?!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They looked down at the briefcase. “I think I sent us back in time,” Klaus mumbled. He looked back up. “All the way to the Vietnam War.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Silence echoed between the two until Letitia took a shuddering breath. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well. Shit,” She breathed out.  </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well... this is certainly different. &gt;:) </p>
<p>I know, I know, I'm very evil and that is a cliffhanger that should be illegal. But, I hope you are all as excited as I am to see how the next chapter plays out!!!</p>
<p>Please leave a comment with what you thought, thank you for reading, and I hope you have a great day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Vietnam (Part One)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Vietnam from Klaus' perspective.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>
      <em>Klaus</em>
    </b>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vietnam was hot and humid, the exact opposite of home, and exactly what he needed after everything that had just happened. With that mood in mind, Klaus happily strode off to his tent with a quick hug from Letitia and set his stuff down on an open bunk before looking up at his new comrades. Behind him, Letitia made her way over to a different tent, where a crowd of women was being given uniforms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There were only three others, making up a total of four members of the squad including Klaus. The first one he noticed was a blonde with chiseled features and a charming smile to match his sandy-blond hair. Klaus flashed a smile in return and gave the barest of glances at the other two, both of whom were plain in appearance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s your name and where are you from, then?” The blond asked while holding a hand out to shake. Klaus smiled and shook it tightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus, Klaus Hargreeves. I’m from New York,” He said. “Who are you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dave Katz, from Dallas,” The blond, Dave, introduced himself before gesturing at the other two men. “This is Jaime, he’s from Chicago,” A redheaded man, “And this is Norman, he’s a Houston boy.” A man with dark brown hair waved.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus waved back and turned back to his bunk to see a uniform and various other supplies sitting on it next to the stolen briefcase. He hummed and grabbed the uniform before changing into it and then taking a seat on the bunk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How long have you all been here?” He wondered. Dave smiled while Norman and Jaime seemed about to puke. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Two months for me, but this isn’t my first tour,” Dave explained. “Norman and Jaime arrived a week ago for their first one. I take it you just got here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus nodded. “My sister and I both came today. She’s serving as a nurse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Damn, your sister’s got guts,” Norman murmured. “Mine’s protesting the war back home, hates it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jaime nodded in agreement. “None of the girls in my family wanted to be nurses.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mine’s tough as nails,” Klaus declared with pride. “She’ll patch up the whole damn company on her own, you’ll see.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave grinned. “Sounds like we got lucky with you two coming here,” He admitted. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a damn good nurse around here. Lots of them end up wandering away cause they can’t handle it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A smirk crossed Klaus’ lips. “We’ve both seen worse than this, trust me,” He murmured. “She’ll be just fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The other guys shared uncertain looks, but they were stopped by Letitia herself opening the flap to the tent. Norman’s jaw dropped open at the sight of the blonde standing there in her new nurse uniform. Klaus shot the man a glare before turning to her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s up, little sis?” He asked, earning astonished looks from the rest of his squad. Letitia smiled at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have to come get a physical,” She explained. “I just got mine, so now it’s your turn.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus grinned and stood to follow her as she left the tent, but took a moment to look back at his squad. “We all have different moms,” He offered as explanation before leaving the tent. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>&lt;&gt;</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of his first month passed in a blur of training, drinking, and occasionally sneaking off to Letitia’s tent to listen to her read aloud until he was drowsy enough to sleep. He also saw her working a lot, patching up wounds that should have killed some of the soldiers that ended up on the table in front of her, and gaining a rather impressive reputation in the camp. The second month, however, was an entirely different story. Now, he was going on missions. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where are we going this time?” He asked Dave as they boarded a truck to get them part of the way they were going. The blond man grinned as Klaus sat next to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Loc Ninh, to intercept a Communist supply route,” Dave repeated, paraphrasing their briefing from earlier. “Were you sleeping again, or something?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus froze and avoided Dave’s gaze. “Or something,” He mumbled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While Letitia had rather easily acclimated to Vietnam and viewed her work as a form of training in order to dissociate from the horrors she was forced to look at each day, Klaus had not had such good luck. The dead were practically frolicking here, and he felt as if at any moment he might actually go insane and wander off into the woods to get shot by Vietcong. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, he had gone to his sister for help, as he always did. He’d been a mess, crying and shaking more than he’d ever done during withdrawal, and apparently muttering to himself under his breath. She had tried everything she could that didn’t involve certain substances, but it had been for naught. Psychology, meditation, none of it was working to help him block out the dead. It ended up coming to a head when she found him in a shed on the outskirts of the base, crying his eyes out and scratching his skin until it bled, and decided enough was enough. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That was the very first time since they’d last been in New York that he used morphine. The first time in years, actually. It was only a little as Letitia couldn’t steal very much or she’d be putting themselves at more risk, but Klaus was incredibly thankful nonetheless. He knew it wouldn’t keep the dead away completely, but it did mute their screams and make them look more like wisps than actual people. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus forced himself out of his thoughts and looked back over at Dave. “How many missions have you been on, Dave?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave smiled at Klaus, but he knew it was tense and fake. “Not too many.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They were in their third month now, and Klaus never wanted to leave. He knew that sounded strange to most people, but he didn’t care. This life, the life he had made for himself in Vietnam with Letitia, was something that he couldn’t imagine leaving. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked up as Letitia opened the door and smiled at him. Klaus snapped his book shut and leaped from his bed to follow her while Norman watched them leave with the eyes of a lost puppy. Dave and Jaime barely reacted, having gotten acclimated to Letitia’s random visits rather quickly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How much am I getting today?” Klaus asked as they walked off into a secluded area just off of the camp. Letitia sat him down and pulled out a syringe and a vial from her pockets. “Enough to make me mellow and bendy?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know I’m not going to tell you how much,” Letitia reminded him. “You specifically told me not to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus cursed himself for trying to keep his usage in check, for putting the task of administering his drugs entirely in Letitia’s hands. He knew she wouldn’t mess it up, that wasn’t why. It was because of the bad days. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as she took his arm in her hand and gently injected the morphine into his system. Her eyes studied him carefully, boring holes into his skull as she watched him visibly relax from the chemical. Klaus pouted as Letitia pulled out the syringe and pressed a bit of gauze to the injection site. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re going on another mission tomorrow,” He murmured. Letitia hummed and stood to step on the syringe before scattering the remains. “There’s a group of Vietcong a few miles away that we need to take care of.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Part of him felt bad for telling her that. He knew she worried about him immensely, that he was the only one there she actively worried about. Letitia didn’t allow it to show, though. She rarely showed any emotions aside from the occasional kind smile or the tight hugs before he left. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I should be back in a few days,” Klaus continued. “And I’ll do my best not to get hurt.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia said nothing. She hugged him, she kissed him on the cheek, and then was gone. Klaus sighed and ran a hand down his face before standing once a few minutes had passed and made his way over to the tent. Dave looked up as he entered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is your sister okay?” He asked gently. “She didn’t look quite right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus waved him off. “She’s fine,” He reached down beside his bed and grabbed a bottle of beer before taking a swig. “Whatcha reading?” He wondered while flopping back onto his cot. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dune,” Dave held up the book so Klaus could better see the cover. “It’s my favorite.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus blinked several times as the movie by the same name popped in his head. It hadn’t been his favorite, but he’d seen it a couple of times with his siblings as it had been one of the only movies showing in the run-down movie theater they’d snuck into as kids. He remembered that Five had found it somewhat interesting. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who’s it by?” Klaus asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave smiled. “Frank Herbert,” He replied. “You haven’t heard of it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Never been much of a science-fiction guy,” Klaus admitted. “Have you ever read The Catcher in the Rye?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave shook his head. “Maybe you can show it to me, once we’re done here,” He suggested. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus felt his heart warm up and a smile spread on his lips.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>&lt;&gt;</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Norman had died. A grenade got him outside of Saigon and had spread his remains so far that Reginald would’ve been envious. Klaus hadn’t been able to get the taste of Norman’s blood out of his mouth for weeks, even after he entered his fourth month in Vietnam. He was starting to hear the ghosts more, even with the morphine. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus looked up at Letitia as he explained this to her. She had a stripe of blood going down her uniform, from a young boy who she’d managed to save from a gunshot wound to the neck. Letitia sighed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If I up the dosage-” She began. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I won’t be too lethargic, I promise,” Klaus took her hands in hers. “Tish, I’ll be fine. I just need to keep them quiet, I need that so I can concentrate.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes were duller than when he’d last seen them. She had dark circles under her eyes, and she was slightly gaunt. Klaus frowned and pulled her closer to trace his fingers over her cheekbone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, Tish,” He whispered. “Please don’t make me listen to them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as she blinked slowly before nodding. A smile twitched at the edges of his lips, but he said nothing other than a brief thank you before she stood and left to go attend to the boys that would soon be heading home. Klaus sighed and went back to the tent, where a new man was standing next to Norman’s bed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, Klaus!” He looked over at Dave’s cheer and beamed at the blond. “Meet Chuck, he’s from Charleston, on his second tour here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus extended a hand that Chuck shook briefly. “Welcome to the team,” He greeted. “I’m Klaus.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Chuck nodded once and said nothing else as he unpacked. Beside him, Dave threw an arm around his shoulder and patted Chuck on the back. Klaus couldn’t help the flash of adoration that zipped through his body at Dave’s kindness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ask any of us anything if you have questions,” Dave flashed Klaus a smirk. “And don’t be alarmed if a young blonde nurse wanders in, that’s just Klaus’ sister.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus and Jaime laughed while Chuck seemed to not know how to react. Dave joined them in laughing before wandering away from Chuck to grab a beer and go over to sit by Klaus. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did any of your siblings write to you?” Dave asked quietly, his voice worried and soft. Klaus shook his head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“None of them even noticed I enlisted,” He muttered. “Not even Letitia’s boyfriend, even though he claimed to like me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave nudged his shoulder against his and passed Klaus a beer. “I’d notice if you disappeared,” He admitted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They were in a bar, for the first time in ages. Well, Klaus and Dave were, along with nearly the entire company. He was in his fifth month in Vietnam, while Dave was on his seventh, and they still enjoyed each other’s company immensely. The two of them smiled at each other over the rims of their beer bottles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where will you go after this is over?” Klaus asked. Dave shrugged. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Back home, probably,” He admitted. “My Momma’s been worried, apparently she hasn’t been getting all of my letters. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus hummed in understanding. “And then where?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave raised a teasing eyebrow. “Klaus Hargreeves, are you trying to get me to stay with you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A smirk played across Klaus’ features. “Is it working?” He joked. Dave laughed happily and took a swig of beer before grabbing Klaus’ hand and tugging him to his feet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe,” He pulled him over to the dance floor, where soldiers danced with Vietnamese women and even the occasional nurse. Klaus wondered where Letitia was for a moment before pushing the thought from his mind. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus felt feverish as Dave’s free hand maneuvered to the small of his back, pressing their bodies together as they swayed on the dance floor. He couldn’t even focus on the song that was playing, or how to move his body in time to the music. All he could feel was skin and skin, the heat of Dave through his measly tank top, it was delightful. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s New York like?” Dave wondered, his voice a low whisper in Klaus’ ears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His body shivered as he forced himself to reply instead of let his hands wander across Dave’s body like he so desperately wanted to. “It’s beautiful,” He murmured. “The buildings stretch up to the sky, people are everywhere, and you can never be bored.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A broad grin appeared on Dave’s face. “Never be bored, huh? And what’s so exciting in New York?” He asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus looked up at him with disbelief. “Well, Dave,” He drawled. “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>clearly</span>
  </em>
  <span> have never been to a club!” Dave quirked an eyebrow in response. “Oh, they’re magical. Lights, dancing, drinking,” His voice dropped to a whisper, “Drugs. New York clubs have it all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave hummed contemplatively and pushed Klaus somehow even closer to his body. “It sounds like paradise,” He admitted. Klaus leaned forward so that his head rested on Dave’s shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It is,” He agreed. “A paradise for fallen angels like myself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re no fallen angel,” Dave shot back. Klaus looked up with raised eyebrows. “You’re Klaus. Perfect, adorable, and just, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Klaus.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus felt as if he could burst. The only person to care about him so much, to be so tender in their words, had been Letitia. Until now. His fingers tightened their grip on Dave’s shirt. He was never going to let this man go, no matter the cost. He would never let this man slip away from him as his sanity, his health, and most of his sources of happiness had over the years. Never. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come to New York,” He begged. “Once I’m done with my tour.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>&lt;&gt;</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His sixth month had arrived. He was halfway through his tour, and he still couldn’t get enough of this place. Letitia had had to increase his morphine dosage once again since he’d last asked two months ago as an entire squad had been taken out in the last platoon he’d gone on a mission with. He still didn’t know how much she had him on, but he knew it was enough to keep the dead at bay. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tell me about your siblings.” Klaus looked up at Dave in shock. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?!” He exclaimed. Dave frowned at the less than stellar reaction from Klaus, who quickly shook his head. “No, you don’t want to hear about them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave stood and walked over to his cot. “I do, Klaus,” He assured him while taking Klaus’ hands in his. “I want to know everything about your family.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus stared at him for at least a minute, searching for any hint of insincerity, and sighed when he found none before nodding. He patted the spot on the cot next to him and Dave took a seat, watching him carefully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m the fourth out of seven,” He murmured. “First came Luther, he works as a bodyguard for my dad. He’s blond like you, and he has blue eyes. We’re not close,” He took a deep breath. “Next is Diego. He wants to join the police, and he fights in boxing matches. Allison was third, she wants to work in theater but she’s too busy with her daughter to pursue that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you two-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus shook his head. “I’m not close with any of my older siblings,” He confessed. “They always followed whatever our dad said, and I was his least favorite so they avoided me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your mom didn’t-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Try to make us get closer?” Klaus finished. Dave nodded. “No. We were all adopted, none of our mothers were ever involved in our lives.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave’s jaw dropped. Klaus winced, knowing these were carefully strung lies that were still a fairly accurate portrayal of the truth. He took a deep breath and continued on with his explanation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“After me came Ben,” He couldn’t very well say Five, given he’d already painted him as Letitia's boyfriend. “He and I were close before he died.’</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How did he die?” Dave asked hesitantly. Klaus sighed and took a sip of beer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We were mugged, Ben tried to run, they stabbed him. He bled out in front of Letitia and I, even though we tried to save him,” He recited, his voice raspy as he fought back tears. Dave reached out and rubbed his back gently. “Then there’s Vanya. She’s a violinist in an orchestra back home, and she writes in her free time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, Letitia’s the youngest?” Dave deduced. Klaus nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yep. She’s the last of us, and the one I’m closest too,” He turned his gaze up to the ceiling of the tent. “She never cared about what Dad said about me, only about who I am as a person.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave smiled gently and leaned in to press a kiss to the corner of Klaus’ mouth. “Well, I think she’s now my second favorite Hargreeves,” He admitted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus quirked an eyebrow. “And who’s the first?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No words were spoken with Dave’s reply. There was only the tingling sensation of Dave’s lips moving against Klaus’. His hands wandering across Klaus’ tanned skin, his tongue dancing with Klaus’ and drinking in his moans as he made it perfectly clear who his favorite was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>&lt;&gt;</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus didn’t know how to feel when Jaime died at the beginning of their seventh month. It was different from when Norman died, that was for sure. There was happiness in the painless method of Jaime’s death by bullet to the head as opposed to pain of being ripped apart by a grenade. There was sadness in the departure of a man who he actually thought was rather decent. But then there was fear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia always knew when he was coming to see her. It was always tied to a death he’d witnessed, a ghost he wanted to keep at bay. Very rarely was it just to talk. Klaus had lost that ability it seemed. He pushed open the flap to the medical tent and gagged at the sight in front of him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A young boy, no older than eighteen, was lying on a stretcher in front of Letitia and bleeding profusely. He watched as Letitia’s hands sunk into his abdomen in an attempt to fix whatever organ was damaged, to seal whatever hole the bleeding was coming from. Klaus turned on his heel and walked away to his tent, unseen by his sister, where Dave was sitting on the floor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did she give you more morphine?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus froze in his tracks as Dave looked up with puffy eyes rimmed with red. He stammered for several moments in an attempt to deny the very idea that his sister was giving him morphine, but he soon gave up. Dave knew him too well for him to lie. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” He murmured. “She’s busy with a patient.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave nodded slowly in understanding before pulling out a small bag filled with pills. “Want some?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He could feel his jaw drop. Blood rushed through his ears in a roaring tidal wave as his body moved to Dave’s on instinct. His fingers plucked a pill from the bag with practiced ease. His mind screamed in anticipation. Swallowing the pill was still as easy as it had been the last time he did it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His mind erupted with euphoria moments later. A sigh escaped him as Dave mimicked his motions before pulling him into a kiss. Soon, their clothes landed in a pile on the floor of the tent. Hands were roaming, lips were brushing against skin, teeth nipped amidst kisses and moans as they tumbled onto Dave’s cot. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dave,” Klaus breathed out, his arms encircling his lover with ease. That was who he was now. Dave was his lover, and he was his. It was perfect. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t know where they’d gone wrong. Klaus had no idea how he’d come to be leaning over Dave’s body as he spewed blood from his chest and neck. Well, he did. He knew how bullets worked, how the gun of a Vietcong had fired off enough to kill the both of them but had only hit Dave. Klaus didn’t want to believe it though. He didn’t want to stare down at the river of red forming and acknowledge that it was Dave’s blood. He screamed into the oblivion of grief as Dave struggled to breathe. His eyes darted around frantically as he tucked his arms under Dave’s and began pulling him to the medics. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Letitia!” He screamed desperately. “Letitia!” There was no response from his sister. Terror lanced his heart as he forced himself to crawl in order to avoid more bullets. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus,” Dave choked as he looked up at his lover. His teeth were red with blood. “Klaus…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare die on me,” He snarled. Klaus turned back to the medical tent and screamed again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a flurry of activity as men went down all around them. Klaus gasped as a bullet embedded itself in his shoulder blade. Pain radiated from it, burning and spreading across his back in a way that was somehow worse than withdrawal. He cursed whoever had invented guns to hell and back as he forced himself farther. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus!” He sobbed in relief and fell to the ground outside the medical tent as Letitia rushed out. “Oh God… Oh God…” She stuttered as she knelt down and inspected his wound carefully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, Tish,” Her wide eyes stared down at him, watery with tears. “Save him. Save him, and then bring us home. Please.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched Letitia’s gaze turn to Dave. He watched them become orbs of steel as determination. Her hands left him, and Dave blinked as she appeared over him with a reassuring smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Trust me,” She whispered. He nodded slowly and let his eyes shut as she began her work. Next to him, Klaus whimpered and felt tears run down his face. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay, I know this was quite a bit shorter than my past chapters, but writing it in this format just flowed exactly the way I wanted it to, and the excerpts had more of an impact as I was writing it than if I'd made this longer. Sometimes, less really is more. </p><p>Anyways, please leave a comment with your thoughts, and keep an eye out for the next chapter, where we see Vietnam from Letitia's point of view. Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a great day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Vietnam (Part Two)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Vietnam from Letitia's point of view.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>
      <em>Letitia</em>
    </b>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Life in Vietnam was a different world in its entirety. The heat, the bloodshed, the humidity, the grief, the sunlight, the gunshots, she wondered if it would be reminiscent of the impending apocalypse Five was fighting against fifty-one years in the future. She wondered what Five was doing in the future, if he had started trying to find her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia forced herself out of her thoughts as she felt a uniform pushed into her hands by Nurse Shirley. She looked up and forced a smile on her face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shirley nodded and ushered her off to a tent she would be sharing with nine other nurses. Letitia went easily and began setting her things down on the only available cot while the others began introducing themselves. Aside from her, there was Ruth, Peggy, Mary, Dottie, Betty, Barb, Doris, Maggie, and Ella-Mae. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How much experience do you have?” Ella-Mae asked. She was in her late forties, with at least twenty years of nursing under her belt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Three years,” She knew any more than that would be unbelievable with her features. Letitia looked back at them and smiled slightly. “But my mother was a nurse, so I learned a lot when I was growing up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you and your boyfriend enlist together?” Doris asked, greatly reminding Letitia of Minnie Mouse with her high and squeaky voice. “He looked so handsome.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia laughed and shook her head while changing into her uniform. “He’s my older brother,” She explained. “My boyfriend is back home, helping with medical physics research on behalf of the government.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The younger girls, Doris, Betty, and Maggie, all made sounds of awe at her blatant lie while the older women listened with vague interest but made no sounds in response. From there, Letitia survived a wave of questions about their family that she evaded with ease, as well as many about her boyfriend, which she was even more reluctant to answer. In the end, she was beyond grateful to be pulled away to go through a quick physical exam. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Take a deep breath,” The doctor ordered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia did as he bid, glad that her lungs were repaired from the Meritech incident from before. The doctor moved his stethoscope and had her breath again before taking her blood pressure and many other values. Once he was done, he sent Letitia to the infirmary to start helping to care for wounded soldiers who were being sent to hospitals before they returned home. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On her way, she grabbed Klaus and sent him to his own physical, and then entered the infirmary with nerves she hoped resembled steel. She knew the sights of wounded soldiers would not be pleasant, but it was rare that imagination compared to reality. Bile rose in her throat as she entered, bile that she forced herself to swallow and shove away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And so, with stitches and cuts and blood pouring all over her uniform most days, her career as a war-time nurse began. Each passing day brought injured boys as young as eighteen, injured men as old as thirty-five, and occasionally women as well, but that was rare in this camp for some reason. It was an endless occupation of stitching them up, using her abilities to save some from certain death if she could, and then going to sleep for maybe an hour before she rinsed and repeated the process. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her first patient was Gary Kerr. He had stepped on a landmine, lost his right leg and right arm as a result. Letitia couldn’t look him in the eye as she changed the bandages and cleaned the wound. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Next was Caleb Marshall. Third-degree burns from napalm as far as her eyes could see. He didn’t make it to the morning after she treated him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The list of patients droned on and on, seemingly endless as each day passed. It continued on with the encouragement of battles, bombings and gunshots like a milling wheel under a steady stream of water. Terror never left Letitia as she awaited the day that Klaus would go to a battle and come back as a patient. And, with each day she saw him, alive and well, she only grew more terrified for him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Promise me something,” She murmured as Klaus’ head rested in her lap one evening. He turned his gaze up to her. “Don’t leave me. I couldn’t bear it if you died, if you left me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus smiled in response, his signature smile that usually made her smile back uncontrollably. Letitia didn’t have a smile to give that evening, though. He sighed and sat up to pull her into a hug. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I won’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span> leave you, Tish,” He mumbled in her ear. “I promise.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She knew it was a promise based on hope, and fragile hope at that, but she clung to it nonetheless. As the first month turned to the second, she kept a vice-like grip on that promise. She didn’t refuse Klaus when he begged for morphine to keep the dead at bay, not when she tried everything to help him in any other way. If it kept him safe, she would do it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then the day of his first mission came along. The other girls felt bad for her and sent her away to rest, despite patients needing treatment, but it was the last thing Letitia wanted in the world. The hardest part was when she slept. Injuries she could handle, patients were relatively easy to treat. She’d treated her siblings many times over the years, after all. It was when she slept, when she couldn’t escape her thoughts, that Letitia felt the war grinding away at her soul. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Lettie…”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shivered at the sound of Five’s voice in her head. Her mind tried its best to keep Five locked in a precious box of memories, only to be opened when she really needed to so as not to drive her mad with the reminder of what she’d left behind. Her sleeping mind could not maintain that control, however. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Lettie. Where are you?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia wondered what he would say the next time she saw him. She wondered if she would even appear at the right time. A new fear entered her mind: the fear of being too late, the fear of finding her beloved Five in the post-apocalyptic world, the fear of him not wanting her anymore since she’d been gone too long. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her mind was torn between two fears, and only one of them lessened when Klaus returned from his mission in one piece. It didn’t stop the constant drain beneath her soul, sucking it out piece by piece, though. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their fourth month in Vietnam had arrived. Letitia’s fears for Klaus’ safety had only grown after they’d returned without their squad member, Norman, at the end of the third month. She had barely glanced at the remains they’d managed to recover and forced herself to put aside the idea that the sack of blood, organs, and flesh had been a person. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a common thing to her, to push away the identity of the dead and the injured with each passing day. Patients no longer had surnames or faces in her mind. They were Sir or Mister, occasionally Ma’am or Miss, and she only focused on treating their wounds. Whether the wound was a simple single gunshot wound, or a gutted torso, she would do her best to heal them and send them on their way. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The only one she didn’t block out was Klaus. He was the only one she would never block out or push away, especially not when he needed her help. She only wished that ‘help’ wasn’t drugging him up with morphine in a battle zone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tish…” Klaus sobbed as she rubbed his back gently. “I keep tasting his blood, feeling it run across my skin, I can almost hear him.” His eyes raised to hers. “Please, Tish. I need more morphine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"If I up the dosage-” She began. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I won’t be too lethargic, I promise,” Klaus took her hands in hers. “Tish, I’ll be fine. I just need to keep them quiet, I need that so I can concentrate.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia stared down at him, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. It wasn’t just her eyes, either. Her whole body ached and creaked with almost every motion. Klaus frowned and pulled her closer to trace his fingers over her cheekbone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, Tish,” He whispered. “Please don’t make me listen to them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She blinked slowly and nodded. A smile twitched at the edges of his lips, but he said nothing other than a brief thank you before she stood and left to go attend to the boys that would soon be heading home. When she next found him, she had a higher dosage in hand for him, and her own puncture wound she kept carefully hidden from view. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The needle slipped into flesh so easily, it was impossible to comprehend how she’d never followed Klaus down that same path before now. It’s contents dulled everything, even the sound of Five’s voice whispering in her ear and fuelling her nightmares of losing him completely. Letitia shivered as she felt her body lose itself to a chemical-induced high. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the end, she was lucky she had a decent capacity for self-control. Treating her patients had never been easier when their faces never had the chance to settle in her drug addled mind. Their wounds healed faster, they were cleaner, it was enough to build up quite the reputation behind Letitia’s name. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know how you’re not a doctor,” Doris commented one evening as they checked over their patients for the last time that day. “With those skills, you’d be one of the best.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Doris,” Letitia replied softly. She wanted another hit of morphine. She needed one. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“No, you don’t.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She stiffened at the sound of Five’s voice. The need for a simple stab of a needle followed by a rush of calm grew within her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Lettie, it’s not a need. It’s a desire.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia knew Five was right, even when he wasn’t there. But, she still couldn’t quell the feeling that only grew with each passing second. With a quick goodbye to Doris, Letitia easily snuck a vial of morphine out and gave a quick jab to Klaus before shooting herself up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A sigh of relief passed through her lips. It was a sigh she would make every so often each week for the rest of the fourth month, a sigh that continued into the fifth month. She continued her work without being impinged. Her manipulation over her own body was almost impervious, thanks to her father. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She looked up one night as Klaus ran over to her with a bright grin. It was the first time in a few days since they’d spoken. Letitia smiled and caught him in a hug as he sat down next to her, a bottle of beer in his hands that glistened with condensation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When we go back,” He began. Letitia’s eyes widened at the words. “I want to take Dave with us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia knew who Dave was. His growing attachment to her brother had branded his voice and name into her mind as a wanted poster in case he ever hurt Klaus. She looked up at the stars and leaned her head against his shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” She agreed. “We can bring Dave with us.” There was a long pause. “I didn’t even know you were thinking about going home.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus winced at her words while Letitia thought back to all the times she wanted to beg Klaus to take her home, to bring her back to Five cause she was so </span>
  <em>
    <span>sorry</span>
  </em>
  <span> for leaving him. And then, each time she had thought about it in recent weeks, she would take another hit of morphine to drown out the regret she would feel about saving Klaus. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to go home yet,” He explained. “I want to go after Dave’s tour is over. That way we can just leave from here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded. “Okay,” She repeated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For the rest of the fifth month and into the sixth month, the idea of leaving grew more and more tempting in Letitia’s mind. She was so tired of all the blood, the guts, the violence. She wanted to sleep in her bed, to feel Five’s arms around her again. Hell, she would even hug Luther if it meant she would be able to go home. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Halfway through the sixth month, an entire squad was taken out by the Vietcong. Klaus’ dosage was upped, and so was Letitia’s. She knew it wasn’t a good idea. She knew if it got any worse she’d get caught one day. And yet, she couldn’t stop. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She could only hope she would be good enough at hiding to keep going, that’s all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next thing she knew, Jaime died. That same day, a young man came in, gutted from navel to sternum. Letitia knew these wounds well, they came up every once in a while, but that day was different. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No matter what she did, she couldn’t look away from the boy in front of her. The boy with slightly tanned skin, forest green eyes, and raven-black hair. Bile rose in her throat as her hand dipped into the cavern of his wound and began closing up every vein and artery that had been ripped in two. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Lettie,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Five’s voice cooed in her mind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Lettie. That isn’t me. You know that.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia needed more morphine. She knew it wasn’t Five, she knew that. Why did she keep seeing his face, then? Why did she see his lips curved in a smirk? Her eyes squeezed shut as she continued her operation. She ignored the sound of the tent opening. It closed a moment later. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Oh, my darling,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Five’s voice was a mockery. A crooning mockery of her, of her morphine addiction, of her idiotic decisions. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“When will you come back to me?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes snapped open as the boy beneath her gasped loudly, his eyes gleaming with life as he stared up at the ceiling. Letitia felt her body sag in relief, felt her hands leave his abdomen to grab the suture kit. A short while later, he was stitched up and sent on his way. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A short while later, his face left her memory; banished by the fog of morphine and the sting of a needle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was nighttime when it happened. When Klaus’ anguished cries reached her ears through the ringing induced by the deafening gunfire around them. Letitia spun around inside the tent, having just finished patching up another man so he could be evacuated. Her eyes widened as his shouts echoed again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus,” She breathed out. Her hands thrust the equipment in them at Maggie’s chest. “No, no, no!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She burst out of the tent, terrified, just as a bullet flew into Klaus’ shoulder. Her eyes widened in shock and she stumbled over as blood leaked from the wound. Letitia gasped as she drew closer to see Dave, bleeding terribly, next to her brother. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus!” Her voice was a wail as she fell to her knees between the two men. Her hands trembled as they hovered over her brother’s back. “Oh God… Oh God…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, Tish,” Her wide eyes stared down at Klaus, watery with tears. “Save him. Save him, and then bring us home. Please.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s gaze turned to Dave. She knew this man was her brother’s love, the only one he’d ever held in his heart for longer than a week. She knew that he was Klaus’ Five. Her muscles coiled with anticipation as she stared at Dave with determination. She could feel Klaus’ gaze on her as she turned fully to bring her hands over Dave’s body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Trust me,” She whispered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave nodded slowly and let his eyes shut. Next to him, Klaus whimpered and tears ran down his face. Letitia smiled kindly and then looped her arms under his to drag him out of the active fire, with Klaus crawling after them. She set him down once they managed to get onto the back of a truck, which sped off as soon as it could, away from the Vietcong. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus,” She snapped as her brother sobbed. “I can’t concentrate when you’re doing that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her brother hiccuped and forced himself to quiet, but even that didn’t help her as she struggled to bring her powers to the surface. Letitia’s eyes widened in a realization that she should have had a long time ago. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was not in control. Her addiction was a spiral, and it was starting to affect her powers drastically. Letitia took a deep breath and looked over at Klaus. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m about to do something, and it’s going to be scary, but I need you to stay calm, alright?” Her voice was sweet and reassuring, but she knew her eyes were wide with terror. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus nodded quickly, confused yet frantic. Letitia smiled at him and looked away before pressing her hands to her chest. A moment later, she screamed as her own withdrawal began. Her heart raced and her lungs heaved as she forced her body to flush the morphine out. Klaus flinched at the shriek and watched her with unadulterated fear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tish?! What’s happening?!” He shouted desperately. His sister didn’t respond as a cut opened on her arm, contaminated blood rushing out in a gush. Klaus gagged and lunged forward to help her, but she shoved him away. “Tish!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pain. All she could feel was pain. Her muscles tightened like suspension cables, her chest hurt as her heart was forced to keep up with her pace. Chills wracked across her body, nausea swirled in her stomach, it was never ending pain. Letitia fell to her side and felt her throat constrict as she vomited, the contents of her stomach painting the floor of the truck with ease. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’re so close, darling,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Five cooed in her mind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Just a little longer.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia sobbed with reckless abandon as she continued to retch and bleed, her body losing the effects of the morphine far faster than it was ever supposed to. Her mind felt like a piece of paper being ripped down the middle as she screamed again. Finally, after what seemed like hours yet was actually maybe a minute, Letitia coughed one last time and sat up. She ignored Klaus’ gaze as she moved back to hover over Dave. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Lettie. Focus on the bleeding,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Five reminded her as she stared down at Dave’s wounds. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“He has a wound between his neck and shoulder, not quite the neck as we first thought. There’s another one in the chest.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She felt herself nod in agreement with her words and felt a surge of power run through her now clean body as her hands glowed yellow. The glow seeped into Dave’s flesh, knitting organs, skin, and muscles back together with practiced ease. Letitia shivered as she felt exhaustion beginning to hit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Dave, come on,” She croaked through her dry and sore throat. “Don’t die on me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her body’s trembling increased in strength as the glow began to die and her hands dropped from her body. Klaus reached out and propped her body up with his own, but his eyes were solely locked on his lover. His free hand reached out and brushed back a stray strand of blond hair from Dave’s forehead. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They gasped a moment later as Dave’s eyes fluttered open. He looked towards them, confused, yet full of life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What did you-” He started. Klaus shook his head and lunged forward to wrap his arms around Dave. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not important right now,” He interjected. The two pulled away from each other a moment later. “Are you ready to come to New York with us?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave’s eyes widened. “Right now?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia watched as Klaus nodded. “We can go as soon as we get back to the base,” He promised. “And, we’ll be in the best version of New York.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She froze as she watched Dave’s brows furrow. “And what version is that?” He asked slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The future,” Klaus replied. Dave’s jaw dropped open. “Where Letitia, our siblings, and I am from. New York City in the future.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His lover’s eyes flicked between him and his sister before landing on Letitia. “Is he lying?” Dave stammered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia took a deep breath and shook her head while trying to ignore the mounting sensation of lightheadedness. “He’s not lying. We have a way to get to New York City, in 2019.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus grinned as Dave’s eyes widened further and a grin spread across his face. “Will I have to fight there?” Dave asked softly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus and Letitia shook their heads. “No, Dave. No more fighting.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia thought she saw Dave smile as he nodded in agreement, but it was quickly blocked from view as Klaus tackled him with a hug. A small smile appeared on her face at the sight of the two of them together. Then, she gasped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus,” She choked out. “Catch me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She heard a muffled shout of confusion before her body slumped to the side and her eyes shut while her mind went blank. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I really should be banned from doing cliffhangers, shouldn't I? </p><p>Anyways, that chapter was a lot, I know. We saw Letitia at one of the lowest points someone can reach, and we're now left to wonder what's going to happen when the trio gets to New York. Hopefully, I won't leave you waiting for very long, I do have plans for the next chapter that I'm very excited about. </p><p>Thank you very much for reading, please leave a comment with your thoughts, and I hope to see you all in the next chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Number Five (Part One)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Luther finds out about the apocalypse, Klaus and Letitia make it back to the future with Dave, and we see Five's reaction to what's happened.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The next morning, Five woke up in a rather uncomfortable bed that was not his in a place he didn’t know. Fearing the worst, he had sat up and started to jump, but Luther stopped him with a tight grip on his arm. Five scowled at his brother, who released him instantly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where am I?” He demanded. “Where’s-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Letitia?” Luther supplied. Five’s eyes narrowed and he nodded. “We don’t know. Diego went out last night to try to find her and Klaus, but he hasn’t come up with any leads yet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five pinched the bridge of his nose and growled under his breath as he stood from the bed. “Of course he has no leads,” He took a deep breath and turned to grab Dolores and the portfolio from Meritech he had yet to look through. “Only two people in this family know her, and one of them is with her while the other is stuck here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah,” Luther interjected. “Stop moping over your girlfriend for a moment, there are more important things we need to discuss: like this apocalypse you mentioned.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Five scoffed. “There’s no point in discussing it with you,” He snapped. “You and the others are entirely unhelpful.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Other than Letitia?” Five smirked at Luther’s words. “Look, Five, we deserve to know that the world is ending, as well as when and how. You’re not the only one who doesn’t want that to happen.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Five sat back down on the bed, deciding to humor his brother if only so he could piss him off with his general demeanor, “I can only answer some of those questions.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther nodded and leaned forward in his chair. “When’s it supposed to happen?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five sighed and looked down at the ground. “I can’t give the exact hour, but from what I could gather we have four days left.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Luther asked, his voice incredulous and his eyes wide. Five shook his head disappointedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It wouldn’t have mattered,” He muttered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther scoffed. “Of course it would! We could’ve banded together to try and stop this thing,” He pointed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five raised his eyes from the floor. “For the record, you already tried.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That gave Luther pause. He leaned back with a frown of confusion as he spoke. “What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Five swallowed and began to shake slightly as the room shifted to the burning academy and back, over and over until he was able to calm himself enough to speak. Five’s fingers fidgeted as he stared at his brother. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I found all of you,” He confessed. “Your bodies.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther’s eyes widened further, but this time with horror. “We died?” Five nodded. “You found-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Five hissed. “I found Letitia too. None of you were safe, none of you survived, and I had to bury my entire family.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pity lanced Luther through the heart. “Five, I’m-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five lunged forward and grabbed his collar. “Don’t. Don’t apologize, it means nothing now,” He snarled. “Because I’m going to get it right this time.” He released his brother and fell back onto the bed. “I’m going to get it right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther took a deep breath. “Did we all… did we try to stop it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes. You all banded together, trying to stop whoever it was that ends the world,” Five answered, bringing the slightest sliver of happiness to his brother. The happiness dimmed, however, into further confusion. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait, how do you know that?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five reached into his pocket and pulled out the glass eye to hold out to Luther. “This was clutched in your dead hand when I found you,” He explained. Luther took it and inspected it closely. “Must’ve ripped it out of their head right before you went down.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther looked up from the eye, still confused. “Whose head?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Like I said,” Five eyes focused on a spot beyond Luther, his mind gradually slipping into memories. “I don’t know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, there’s a serial number on the back,” Luther noted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five hummed and grabbed the portfolio. “Yes, it’s listed somewhere in here,” Luther reached out for the portfolio, only for Five to yank it out of reach. “No. I’m doing this with Letitia, once I find her and our idiot brother.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>SLAM. Luther and Five looked up as Diego burst into his place, furious. They watched as he stormed into the room and straight to Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You piece of shit,” He snarled. Five raised an eyebrow in confusion and leaned away, but Luther caught Diego in his arms before he could reach him. “Get your ape hands off me!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can do this as long as it takes for you to calm down,” Luther reminded him. Diego froze and panted from struggling against his brother before nodding once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” He snapped. Luther sighed and set him down. Diego brushed himself off and turned his attention back to Five. “What the fuck did you do to Tish?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scoffed. “What are you talking about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s gone, she’s missing and so is Klaus, and you’re just sitting here like the ass that you are,” Five’s eyes narrowed, “While she could be dead in a ditch-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego’s cell phone suddenly began to ring, causing his eyes to widen. Five frowned at his sudden change of mood and watched him reach into his pocket to answer it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Put it on speaker,” Five ordered. Diego nodded and hit the button. Their eyes widened as Klaus’ voice crackled through. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Diego! Diego, you need to come now,” He cried out, his voice cracking with tears. “Letitia blacked out, I think she took something,” Five’s hands clenched into fists. “she’s not waking up, I don’t know what to do-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five snatched the phone away from Diego, fury pumping in his veins as he turned the speaker off and held the phone to his ear. “What the fuck did you do, Klaus?!” He shouted. “Where are you? Where’s Lettie?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five, you need to come here now,” Klaus sobbed. Five growled as his free hand ran through his hair desperately. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then tell me where the fuck you are!” He screamed into the phone. Klaus sobbed loudly and looked around for street names. Eventually, he managed to stammer them out into the phone, and Five hung up. “I need to go.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where?” Luther and Diego asked. Five waved them off and with a flash of blue light, was gone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus sobbed as the line cut out and ran away from the payphone to Dave, who had Letitia’s head in his lap as he monitored her breathing. His hands reached out to cup her face, her pale, thin, entirely too gaunt face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please… Please don’t die,” He begged. “Please, Tish. I’m so sorry-” He looked up as Dave set a hand on his shoulder, gripping it gently. “Dave, she can’t die! She’s… she’s so small…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your sister isn’t going to die,” Dave murmured while pulling Klaus into his side. “Watch, she’ll get a doctor to look at her, and she’ll wake up, good as new.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus sobbed again, his hands shook as they slowly petted Letitia’s hair. She was so pale, her skin almost matched the stark white color of her nurse uniform. Her breathing was shallow, her body was cold and shaking under his touch. The bleeding from her arm had stopped a long time ago, but in its wake was a massive pool of red on her sleeve and skirt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, hey,” Dave crooned in his ear. “She’s tough as nails, remember?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave’s words brought another wave of sobs crashing across Klaus’ body, and before he knew it Klaus had taken Letitia from his arms and was cradling her in his own, rocking back and forth as he did so. The blond man watched silently and didn’t say a word as he reached up to slowly rub Klaus’ back as he kept rocking back and forth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s my baby sister,” Klaus whimpered. “And I failed her. Dave, I failed her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His lover opened his mouth to respond, but he never got the chance as a loud whoosh echoed from the street corner. Five cracked his neck as he looked around with narrow eyes, his entire body like a coiled spring as he searched desperately. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally, his eyes landed on Klaus. And then they drifted down. Bile rose in his throat at the sight of a blood-covered bundle in Klaus’ arms. Five’s legs moved of their own accord as he sprinted forward, crossing the distance between them in seconds before landing on his knees in front of his brother. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five, Five,” Klaus sobbed, his arms tightly wound around Letitia’s unresponsive form. “I don’t know-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Give. Her. To. Me,” Five growled, his eyes burning with rage as Klaus clutched to Letitia tightly. His knuckles cracked as his fists tightened impossibly further when Klaus didn’t comply. “Klaus.” His brother looked up. “Now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave opened his mouth to say something, but the sound of Five’s fist colliding with Klaus’ nose cut him off. He gasped as Klaus reeled with pain, his grip loosening enough from Lettia for Five to rip her from his arms. Klaus sniffled and leaned into Dave as he watched Five stare down at Letitia, his fury morphing into terror and despair the longer he gazed at her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lettie?” He whispered softly. His hand came up and pushed stray hairs from her face. “Lettie, wake up.” She didn’t respond. He felt his body shaking as Letitia was suddenly replaced with her corpse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sightless brown eyes gazed up at him. Her lips were parted, with a deep red lipstick coating them. No. Not lipstick. Blood. Five’s fingers trembled as he reached out to close her eyes. There was a bruise on her cheekbone, and fingerprints on her neck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia suddenly took a deep breath, one that rattled in her chest. Five’s vision snapped back to reality. He leaned down and pressed an ear to her chest, and gasped at the sound of her heartbeat slowing down. Five straightened up and hooked his hands under her knees and back to carry her bridal style. His own heart raced as Letitia’s breathing returned to a shallow state. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Meet me back at the house,” He ordered with a glare at Klaus, who nodded frantically. A moment later, with a flash of blue light, Five and Letitia disappeared and reappeared in the house. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pogo!” Five screamed. “Pogo!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Master Five?” The butler wondered as he rounded a corner into the foyer. He gasped at the sight of Five holding a blood-covered Letitia. “Oh dear Lord!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus,” He struggled to breathe as Pogo rushed over to stare at the blonde. “Klaus said she might have taken something. Please, you need to help her!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pogo nodded and gestured for Five to follow him as they bustled down to the basement. “How long ago did she become unresponsive?” He asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five stammered as he followed Pogo. “I- I don’t know,” He swallowed as he entered their makeshift hospital room in the basement. “I punched Klaus before he could say anything else.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A frustrated noise escaped Pogo, but he didn’t admonish Five. “Put her on the table,” He ordered. “Get her out of those clothes, I need to see if she’s bleeding from anywhere in particular.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The butler quickly washed his hands and arms while Five nodded and began undoing the buttons of Letitia’s uniform, the white fabric sliding off her figure with ease. He bit back a whimper as he unveiled her thin, somewhat malnourished, body to his eyes. Five’s fingers reached out and traced the outline of her ribs, her sternum, her hips, and froze when they reached a raised scar that went from just above her pubic bone to the middle of her sternum. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pogo…” His voice was cold as ice. “Where is this from…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked up at the chimp turned butler as he approached, a look of despair in his eyes. Five watched as Pogo grabbed a cart of supplies and pulled it over, pointedly ignoring his question. Between them, Letitia continued to lay there, unresponsive. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pogo-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your father was a complicated man,” Pogo cut in while moving an EKG machine over and hooking up the electrodes to Letitia’s body. Five stiffened. “And his training methods were unorthodox at the best of times.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five felt an icy fire burning in his heart as he watched Pogo continue to prepare Letitia’s body. Soon, the sound of her faint heartbeat echoed around them from the EKG and there was a mask being placed over her nose and mouth to deliver oxygen. Her skin was unnaturally pale under the fluorescent lighting, and Five wondered if she was cold. His fingers reached out and traced the path of the scar once again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He vivisected her?” He finally managed to ask. “Our father, he vivisected her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pogo stiffened. “It was the final stage of his training for her,” He explained in a soft whisper. “So that she would have perfect control over the human anatomy,” He paused and shivered. “It also acted as punishment-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“For Ben,” Five finished. Pogo nodded once and turned away from Five, who said nothing else as the chimpanzee continued to set up. He did look away from Letitia’s scar when Pogo sighed, however. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Master Klaus was unfortunately correct,” Pogo pointed at the crook of Letitia’s elbow, where little marks dotted the skin. “Miss Letitia did inject a substance, it’s most likely causing her current state.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes left the track marks of the needle and returned to her thin face. He had never seen her this gaunt before, she’d always had rounder features that exuded kindness and warmth. Across from him, Pogo prepared a syringe and quickly began drawing blood from Letitia’s arm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why?” Five managed to whisper once Pogo pulled away with a full syringe. “Why did you… Why-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door to the room slammed open to reveal Klaus, his nose dripping blood and his eyes still pouring tears down his face. Five turned towards him and froze. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s my fault, Five,” Klaus choked out. “I was...”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five didn’t hear the rest of Klaus’ words, too focused on the item in his hand. His hand released Letitia’s as he took a step forward. Klaus’ voice trailed off as he noticed Five’s gaze on the briefcase in his hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where… did you get that?” His brother growled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus looked down at the briefcase and then back up at Five. “We stole it,” He stammered. “From Hazel and Cha-Cha. And when we tried to open it-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You traveled in time,” Five realized. He whirled around and grabbed Letitia’s uniform to inspect it carefully. “To…” His eyes widened and he turned back to Klaus. “1968?! You went to the Vietnam fucking War? And took Letitia with you?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, Five,” Klaus sobbed. “I didn’t mean to, I promise-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five lunged forward and ripped the briefcase away from Klaus before grabbing the collar of his vest in his fists. “What the fuck happened? Why didn’t you come back immediately?” He shook Klaus harshly. “And why does Letitia have track marks in her fucking arm?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, another hand covered his and shoved him away from Klaus. Five snarled and looked over at the blond man that had been with Klaus when he’d gotten Letitia back from him. Klaus scrambled behind Dave, shaking and still sobbing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look,” Dave began. “It wasn’t Klaus’ fault. It was mine,” He took a deep breath. “Klaus stayed behind because we got together, and Letitia didn’t want to leave him.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s body tensed and he quickly moved to cover Letitia’s naked body from view as Dave’s gaze slid to it. “Who are you?” He demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My name is Dave,” He introduced. “I’m Klaus’ lover-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nevermind, I don’t care who you are, to Klaus or to anyone else,” Five snapped. “The only thing I care about is how the hell my Lettie ended up an addict in the Vietnam War and what the fuck happened to make her like this!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave winced and Klaus shuddered as the memories of their last battle flooded back. Klaus slowly moved out from behind Dave to stare at Five, who looked seconds away from murdering one or both of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s my fault, Five,” He whispered. “Letitia was giving me morphine, to keep me from hearing the ghosts, and I guess she eventually started using it herself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five growled. “Why didn’t you stop her?” His eyes flicked back to Dave. “Or were you too busy getting fucked to care about what happened to her?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus whimpered at his words but didn’t deny them. His eyes turned downwards to stare at the tiled floor beneath them while Five scoffed and turned away from them to stare down at Letitia’s face while Pogo continued analyzing her blood. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What happened, that made her like this?” Five asked softly. Klaus shivered again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dave and I got shot,” He began, his voice low and cracking every so often. “She tried to save him, but she… she must’ve had too many drugs in her system.” He sobbed. “She started screaming, there was blood everywhere, she vomited, it was… it was so bad, Five.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His brother said nothing, simply kept listening. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then, she stopped. Her hands glowed again, she healed Dave, I thought everything was fine,” Klaus sniffled. “But, she passed out almost immediately afterward. The only time she woke up was right before we left, to heal my shoulder. After that, we couldn’t wake her up, not even when we grabbed the briefcase and traveled back here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was silence in the room for several moments before Five pointed at the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get out,” Five ordered. “And if I see you at any point today, I won’t care that you’re her second favorite. There will be a bullet in your brain faster than you can down a pill.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave’s eyes widened at the threat, and he opened his mouth to protest, but Klaus shushed him. Before he could react, Klaus tugged him out of the room and up the stairs of the house, leaving Five and Pogo alone with Letitia. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is it morphine?” Five eventually asked, his eyes not moving from Letitia’s face as he spoke. Pogo turned back to him and nodded once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There are the barest traces in her bloodstream.” He pulled his monocle off and cleaned it. “It seems she flushed most of it out of her system in order to save Master Klaus’ friend, and in the process exhausted her body with a rushed withdrawal.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shuddered and reached down to pet her hair. “Will she…” He trailed off, unwilling to finish the thought.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pogo sighed and walked over to stand next to Number Five. “Miss Letitia will live. The most we can do now is intubate her and begin giving her body the fluids and nutrients it needs.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Intubate?” The word sounded foreign in Five’s mouth. Pogo nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We must make this process as easy as possible on her body,” He explained. “Intubation will take the stress off of her lungs and make it easier for her body to function.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five sobbed silently and heard a soft whine escape him as tears gathered in his eyes before falling and landing on the pale and waxy skin of Letitia’s too-thin face. Five brushed the tears away with ease and pulled away as Pogo moved the mask away from her mouth and nose before forcing a tube down her throat and connecting it to a ventilator. Letitia’s chest began to rise and fall more noticeably, with deeper and healthier breaths. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There,” Pogo murmured before pulling an IV stand over as well as several bags. “These will act to hydrate and provide nutrients.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How long before she wakes up?” Five asked with a thick voice as he held back a torrent of sobs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pogo pulled away from Letitia and grabbed a blanket to cover her body. “Anywhere from six to twelve hours,” He estimated. “Her body will work on healing itself, on pushing the last of the drugs out and forcing the last of the withdrawal to pass much faster.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five slowly took a seat next to the bed, his hands reaching up to hold her right hand between them. “Will she be in pain?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was silence for a moment before Pogo decided to respond. “Yes,” He flinched as Five sobbed once. “But it will pass with time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, Pogo turned and left Five and Letitia alone in the room, the door shutting behind him with a click. He climbed the stairs back up to the house silently and made his way over to the phone in the foyer, and spun the dial several times before holding the phone to his ear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It rang a few times before the line connected with a click. “Hello?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Miss Vanya,” Pogo greeted. “It’s Pogo.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, hello, Pogo,” Vanya adjusted her grip on the phone. “What’s going on? Is something wrong?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pogo took a deep breath. “It’s your sister,” He explained. “She’s injured, and I am worried for Master Five in light of it, so I was wondering if you would be able to come over and stay with them in the infirmary.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment before Vanya responded. “I just hailed a cab, I’ll be there in twenty.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Miss Vanya,” Pogo murmured before the line disconnected. The phone dropped into the receiver with a soft clatter as Pogo fought back tears of his own at this situation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ever since the children had turned eighteen, he had only had Luther and Letitia around to remind him of the days of their youth, when they were his students and when he got to spend time with them every day. In the time since then, he had seen Letitia grow and develop her powers, her interests, and now he’d almost lost her. Pogo allowed himself to sob once into his handkerchief before shaking his head and making his way into his own rooms. On the way, however, he was stopped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pogo?” He looked over to see Allison staring at him worriedly. “Pogo, are you alright? I heard someone shouting for you earlier, what’s going on?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She watched the chimpanzee take a breath. “Your sister, Letitia, has been injured and is in the infirmary,” His voice was cracking with held-back sobs, “Your other sister Vanya is on her way to keep her and Master Five company.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh my God,” Allison breathed out. “Is she okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pogo nodded slowly. “She will be, with some time,” He murmured. “I will be retiring to my rooms now, Miss Allison. If you would like to visit your sister, you may do so with Master Five’s permission.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison didn’t say anything else as Pogo walked over to the door to his room and disappeared behind it almost silently. Once he was gone, she took a deep breath and made her way down the stairs to the foyer, and then through to the stairs to the basement. As she descended the narrow steps, she couldn’t help but wonder if it was even okay for her to do this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her relationships with either of her sisters had never been the best. Vanya had always been ordinary, so Allison had tossed her to the side, and Letitia had always been too much at home with Five, Klaus, and Ben to try to connect with. And as they’d grown, as they lost Five and Ben, the void between her and the two of them grew. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eventually, it had all come to a head when they were seventeen, just after Ben’s death, and Allison had found Letitia sitting with Vanya, the both of them just sitting on Vanya’s bed silently. It was then that Allison realized it might’ve been too late for her to have a sister. She had ignored the both of them in favor of Luther and their dad’s attention, and now she was the odd one out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison froze as she stopped just outside the door to the infirmary. With a shaky sigh, she moved to peer in through the glass pane inside it and gasped at the sight within. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five was sitting in the hospital bed behind Letitia, with her body resting on his chest, shirtless, and holding her as tightly as he could without dislodging any of the tubes extending out from her body. One hand was running through her hair while the other rested on her stomach as he lay there, supporting her as he always had. Allison moved out of view and opened the door ever so slightly and as silently as possible. She leaned in and listened to the sound of Five whispering to her sister. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry,” Five’s eyes had given up on holding back tears at that point. “I should’ve gone with you, apocalypse be damned. I never should have let you go after Klaus on your own.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A frown crossed Allison’s face at his words, but she said nothing for fear of giving herself away. She slowly sunk to the floor to sit next to the doorway and continue listening. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I keep fucking up, Lettie,” He choked out. “I left you for sixteen years, to be beaten and vivisected by our father, and then I let you run into a burning building,” A sob escaped his lips. “And when I got angry about it I didn’t try to help you save our brother, I pushed you away.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s grip around Letitia tightened slightly. “And now, now I’ve almost lost you forever to a fucking war.” His hand moved from her hair to graze over the track marks on her arm. “You were so strong,” He murmured. “You survived Vietnam, you saved Klaus and his lover, you saved yourself from morphine, and I </span>
  <em>
    <span>wasn’t there.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison peeked into the small gap in the doorway and watched as Five tilted his head back and sobbed for several moments. She took a deep breath and stood before pushing the door open, the motion causing Five’s gaze to snap to her. He reached up and wiped his eyes before covering Letitia’s arm with the blanket. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?” He muttered. Allison winced at the animosity in his tone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I came to visit Letitia-” She began. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scoffed. “Don’t bother,” He snapped. “She wouldn’t want you here anyway.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison scowled. “You don’t know that,” She retorted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A dark chuckle escaped Five’s lips. “Oh, don’t I?” His lips curled in a sneer. “You two have never been close, not after all the shit you pulled when we were kids, and I doubt that’s changed since you two grew up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We were kids, Five!” Allison pointed out frustratedly. “Sure, I messed up a few times, but who doesn’t?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Most people wouldn’t consider rumoring your sister to be silent for months at a time a simple ‘mess up’, Allison,” Five growled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison flinched at the memories Five was dredging up, of her younger self being so ridden with jealousy towards Letitia for the compliments she got from the boys and even from Dad every once in a while. Of taking Letitia’s voice away so she couldn’t impress anyone anymore. Of forcing her into the background so she could stand in the limelight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You were an awful sibling, Allison,” Five stated coolly, his attention diverting back to Letitia. “You were truly awful and I don’t know that you’ll ever be able to fix things with her,” His gaze raised to Allison’s, “Or with Vanya.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She felt her body stiffen in response. Five smirked at the sight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh? Have I hit the nail on the head?” He asked mockingly. “Have you pulled your head out of Luther’s ass long enough to realize that you don’t have sisters, not truly, anyway?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison’s hands clenched into fists. “Shut up, Five,” She spat before turning on her heel and walking away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s smirk morphed into a grin and he turned his gaze back to Letitia, his features softening as he did so. “I’m sorry about that,” He went back to running his fingers through her hair. “She just doesn’t respect your boundaries enough.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia didn’t respond, but Five was more focused on her features. His eyes narrowed as she looked slightly warmer, more alive, than earlier. His fingers moved to press against her cheek. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re warming up,” He noted with relief. “I guess the skin on skin contact paid off.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They stayed that way, pressed up against each other in silence, for a long while before their next interruption arrived. Five looked up as the door opened again to reveal Vanya, who paled at the sight of her sister lying in the bed with Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh my God,” She breathed out, her legs carrying her over to sit beside the bed. Vanya reached out tentatively to hold her hand, but paused and looked up at Five, who nodded once and watched Vanya take Letitia’s right hand in hers. “What happened, Five?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her brother sighed and forced himself to listen to the steady tone of the EKG as it monitored Letitia’s heartbeat. “Klaus got kidnapped,” Vanya’s jaw dropped. “She saved him, but they got stuck in 1968 and Letitia got hurt right before they came back,” He summarized. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is she-” Vanya trailed off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s going to be fine,” Five assured her. “Pogo said she’ll wake up in six to twelve hours.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya nodded in understanding and traced gentle patterns on the back of Letitia’s hand as she listened to the EKG and the gentle rush of the ventilator filling Letitia’s lungs with air. “Pogo called me,” She explained. “He thought I’d be the only one you’d want in here,” A scoff passed her lips. “Can’t imagine why, though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five frowned. “I can,” He argued. “You’re the only one I trust,” A hesitant smile appeared on his lips. “Aside from Lettie, of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A soft laugh escaped Vanya. “Being your second favorite is better than nothing,” She admitted. Her eyes drifted to Letitia’s face. “And so is being her fourth favorite.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, third, technically,” Five murmured. Vanya shook her head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, Ben’s place is immovable in her heart,” She sighed and squeezed Letitia’s hand before going back to tracing patterns. Five’s stomach swirled with nausea as he remembered the scar on Letitia’s abdomen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He took a deep breath. “I know what Dad did to her,” He shuddered. “After Ben died.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya froze and didn’t say anything for several moments. “You saw the scar?” She guessed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded. “Yes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nothing else was said for a while as the two of them sat with Letitia, neither of them wanted to delve into the experience right then and there, after all. And so, they remained silent, and never made a move to speak or leave Letitia’s side. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Until Luther and Diego suddenly burst into the room, that is. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>They made it back!!! Yay!!!!!! </p><p>Now, I know this was still pretty sad, and that a lot is going on, but it'll all be resolved at some point, somehow, and I can't wait to write what happens when it does. I hope we were happy to see some more Five/Lettie moments, a confrontation with Allison about her crappy sisterly behavior, a little more info on what happened after Ben died, and a small bit of Vanya bonding at the end. </p><p>Please leave a comment with what you thought, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a great day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Number Five (Part Two)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>More of the aftermath and a negotiation with the Handler goes slightly differently.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?” The harshness of Five’s tone towards their brothers momentarily stunned Vanya, but she moved past that rather quickly when Diego’s eyes moved from Five to her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“An even better question would be, what is she doing here?” He demanded while pointing at her. Vanya flinched and avoided his gaze. “Of all people, she is the last one that should be here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scoffed. “You know, we all knew you were an idiot, but this is an astounding level of stupidity,” He remarked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego snarled. “She’s not a part of this family,” Diego reiterated. “After that fucking book-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, get over it,” Five muttered while returning to petting Letitia’s hair. “It was well written, and was never intended to offend any of you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya watched Diego from the corner of her eye as he shook his head and clenched his fists. He took a step closer with Luther flanking him, and she felt her hackles rise in response as well as her grip tightening on Letitia’s hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If she had published the details of your sordid affair with Tish, would you be saying that?” He wondered. Five looked up with a raised eyebrow and pursed lips. “If she had left in every detail of when our dad gutted her like a fish-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Diego!” Vanya shouted. “Enough!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The damage was done, though. Five’s eyes were dark with rage as he gently maneuvered his body out from under Letitia’s and stalked around the bed to his brother. Vanya slowly stood and moved in front of the blonde as Diego’s hand twitched towards his knives. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know who was there when Dad did that?” Diego sneered. “You know who helped her get to the restroom when she was freshly stitched up and could barely move cause Klaus was too fucking high to do it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Diego-” Vanya tried. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up!” He screamed. Five was almost in front of him. “It was me. Not you, me. You weren’t there, you don’t know the half of what Dad did to her, to us, and what that book did to us by making it public.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five was silent as he came to a stop a foot away from him. Then, within a second, Diego was on the floor and Five’s shoe was pressed into his windpipe. Vanya gasped and reached out to pull them apart, but Five held up a hand to stop her. Diego grunted as he fought against his brother while Luther watched in astonishment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you </span>
  <em>
    <span>dare</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Five’s voice had long since morphed to a growl. “Bring up what he did around me,” He leaned more weight into his leg and shivered as Diego choked and spluttered. “For as angry as you are about it, as angry as any of you might have been,” He laughed softly, “It can’t even compare to the rage I feel towards the bastard known as our father.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya watched worriedly as Diego clawed at Five’s leg, his nails raking across the exposed flesh between his shorts and socks and leaving shallow gashes in their wake. “Five-” She whispered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five pulled away from Diego a second later and watched as he gasped for air while clutching his throat. “If it wouldn’t fuck up our timeline, don’t you think I would have killed him by now?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You wouldn’t,” Luther interjected. “You’re not a murderer.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A soulless laugh rattled in Five’s throat in response, one that made shivers run up Vanya’s spine as Five turned away from Luther and moved back beneath Letitia. “That’s a rather problematic assumption you’ve made, Luther,” He murmured. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five?” Vanya allowed herself to resume sitting in the chair beside the bed. “Five, what are you talking about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their brother was silent for many moments, just savoring the sensation of Letitia’s skin between his fingertips as he traced patterns on her shoulder and upper arm. His eyes slowly lost the murderous glint from his assault on Diego. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Those assassins,” He began. “Hazel and Cha-Cha?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther nodded while Diego forced himself to stand. “Yeah, what about them?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five hummed and took a quick breath, relaxing slightly as the scent of Letitia flooded his mind. “They work for my former employer,” His gaze drifted back to them. “Can you take a guess as to what my job was?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His siblings stared at him, stunned. The room was silent except for the repeating beep of the EKG and the gentle rush of the ventilator. No one could move in the face of that not-so-subtle confession. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ve killed people,” Vanya eventually mumbled. Five nodded once. “Who was your boss?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five didn’t want to tell them, but one look from Luther told him avoiding it would cause more of a headache than he needed. So, instead, he sighed and snuggled deeper into the pillows while still holding Letitia tightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A woman called the Handler,” Five stiffened as memories of the woman drifted forward. “She sent Hazel and Cha-Cha to stop me,” He took a deep breath. “That’s why they took Klaus. They thought I would come running if he was taken.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So,” Diego’s voice was cold and raspy. “It’s your fault Tish got hurt. If it weren’t for you, they wouldn’t have taken Klaus, and then-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, Diego,” Vanya snapped, earning surprised looks from everyone except Five, whose eyes had dropped down to Letitia. “Five would never intentionally hurt Letitia, you know that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego scoffed and looked back at Five. “It might not have been intentional, but it sure as hell was because of him being here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And what do you want?” Luther chimed. “Do you wish Five had never come home? That we’d still be missing two siblings instead of one?”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vanya was thankful when Diego didn’t reply, when he didn’t agree with Luther’s words. She knew that Diego was angry, that someone he cared about was hurt and he wanted to blame someone, but she was glad to see it wasn’t actual hatred for Five. So, in an attempt to make sure they didn’t start shouting again, she looked back over at Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did they send Letitia back in time to hurt you too?” She asked softly. Five shook his head once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re not strong enough to do that,” A small smile pulled at the corner of his lips as he watched Letitia rest. “I bet that Letitia made them pay for taking Klaus and that getting sent back in time truly was an accident like Klaus said.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, well they still attacked our home,” Diego spat. “They killed Mom, and they kidnapped our brother. That makes them fair game, right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther frowned. “What are you saying?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego grinned at him. “I’m gonna make ‘em pay,” He stated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s gaze raised to Diego as he turned and began walking out. “That would be a mistake,” Diego flipped him off, “They’ve killed people far more dangerous than you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, we’ll see about that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a slam of the door, Diego was gone. Five sighed and shook his head before leaning it back and allowing his eyes to slide shut for a moment. Vanya watched him worriedly but said nothing as Luther beat her to the punch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tell me more about this former employer of yours,” He ordered while pulling up a chair at the foot of Letitia’s hospital bed, the gesture causing Vanya’s muscles to coil like a spring. “And what all of this is really about.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five looked up and tensed at the sight of Luther sitting so close to the bed. “Move,” He ordered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther scowled. “Why should I-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because he doesn’t trust you,” Vanya blurted out. Five nodded once while Luther’s jaw dropped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What, so you’ll trust Letitia and Vanya before me?” He demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Every time,” Five promised, his eyes sharp and dark again. “Every single time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a moment of tense silence before Luther pushed his chair several feet back. Five nodded in approval and let his mind wander to the time he met the Handler while he recounted the story for Luther and Vanya. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tell me why I shouldn’t put a bullet in your head right now!” Five shouted, his finger squeezing the trigger of the shotgun in his hands. His eyes were trained on a figure on the other side of the scope. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The woman in front of him simply flashed a charming smile and made her way across the mess of rubble between them. She had white hair in slightly limp victory rolls, a decorative hat complete with a petite veil atop her head, sunglasses covering her eyes, and a black leather ensemble clothing her long and slim figure. She waved as she approached, her ruby red heels clicked on the stone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because,” She set down the briefcase she was holding and perched atop it. “If you did,” She pulled back the veil and removed her sunglasses to reveal striking grey eyes framed by white eyeshadow. “You wouldn’t hear the offer I’m about to make you,” She explained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five blinked several times and slowly lowered the gun to listen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Which would be rather tragic, given your,” Her eyes drifted across the wasteland around them. “Current circumstances.” She watched as Five took a step closer and reached down to pull out a cigarette case. “I work for an organization called the Commission. We are tasked with the preservation of the time continuum through manipulations and removals.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t understand,” Five stammered, his eyes wide as he listened to this woman. She smiled and placed her cigarette in a holder before closing the case. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sometimes, people…” She trailed off while pulling out a lighter. “Make choices that alter time. Free will,” She scoffed. “Don’t get me started.” She took a drag of her cigarette. “When that happens, we dispatch one of our agents to eliminate the threat.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s hands snapped up, the barrel of the gun easily finding the woman’s head with the help of the scope. The woman laughed delightedly and held up her hands as a form of placation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh no, no, no, no,” She shook her head fondly. “You misunderstand me.” Five frowned. “You’re not a target, you’re a recruit.” She smiled as Five lowered his gun again. “I’ve come to offer you a job, Number Five.” He stared at her, gaping. “We’ve had our eye on you for quite some time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He could feel his body seizing up. What about his family? Did they know about them? His insides turned to ice at the thought of Letitia, whose grave was the only spot he returned to consistently. Did they know about her? Five forced himself to block out the thoughts of the cheery blonde. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And we think you have a lot of potential,” The woman in front of him continued. “Your survival skills have made you quite the celebrity back at headquarters,” She paused and took another drag of her cigarette. “That and your ability to travel through time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five took another step closer to the woman, the shotgun hanging limply at his side. “You’re saying that I…” He took a deep breath. “I could actually leave here? Go- Go back?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The woman smiled. “In return for five years of service. Once your contract is done, you can retire to the time and place of your choosing with a pension plan to boot.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s face, her living face complete with a smile and the sound of her laughter, appeared in his mind, unbidden. His eyes narrowed in a glare as it was reconciled with the picture of her corpse, an image permanently etched into his mind by time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you can alter time, why not just stop all this from ever happening?” He demanded with a gesture at the rubble around them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The woman sighed. “That’s quite impossible, I’m afraid.” She looked around them. “You see, all of this, it was supposed to happen.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scoffed. “That’s insane,” He muttered. “The end of everything?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched the woman smirk. “Not everything,” She pointed out. “Just the end of… something.” Five looked down at the ground for a moment. “So…” He looked back up as she extended her hand for him to shake. “Do we have an agreement?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes slid between the woman in front of him, and then back to Dolores. She stared at him with her sweet smile and reminded him of the most important possibility of all of this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You can find her again.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Tears stung at his eyes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You can find her, your darling Lettie.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was only with that in mind that Five turned and approached the woman, his hand outstretched. He stared at her as they linked hands and shook once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s your name, then?” He asked. The woman grinned, the smile sending a spike of fear into his heart with its predatory gleam. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The Handler,” She replied before they disappeared in a flash of blue.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther and Vanya were listening to Five in a horrified sort of rapture that could only be achieved with a tale such as that one. Five sighed and continued ignoring them in favor of holding Letitia’s now warmer body against his own. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They turned me into the perfect instrument,” He continued. “For rehabilitation of the time continuum.” The sound of a gunshot echoed in his mind and he jumped slightly. “Or ‘corrections’, as they called them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya wanted to throw up. She knew something had been different with Five when he came back, but her theory of time travel messing with his mind was well and truly out the window. Not even the most imaginative lunatic could lie this well, which only left an undeniable fact in her mind. Five was telling the truth, about everything. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t the only one,” Five swallowed at the memories of his colleagues. “There are others like me. Beings out of time, fractured, extracted from the lives that they knew.” He sighed. “I don’t know how they got there. But, I do know that none of them were as good as me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“At…” Vanya trailed off and swallowed. “At killing?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Does Letitia know about this?” Luther demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five laughed softly and smiled, a broken sort of smile that made hearts ache and eyes sting, and ignored his question. “The Commission didn’t realize it, but I was biding my time, trying to figure out the right equation so I could get back,” His eyes drifted to Vanya. “I wrote it in the margins of your book.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya’s jaw dropped. “You had it for-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That long?” Five finished. “Yes.” He took a deep breath and continued his tale. “I knew if I could just get back, I could stop the apocalypse. Save the world.” He buried his face in Letitia’s hair. “So, I broke my contract.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And you came back to us,” Vanya finished. Her eyes rested on Letitia’s face. “To her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His face didn’t move from Letitia’s hair as he nodded. “I did,” He felt tears streaking down his face, and cursed himself for breaking down in that moment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Thankfully, Luther’s thick-headedness provided a suitable distraction. “So, you were a hitman?” He asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya raised an eyebrow. “How did you not get that from what he just said?” She demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five chuckled at her tone and pulled his face out of Letitia’s hair to look at his brother. “I was, and Vanya’s right to be confused. Seems like you could give Diego a run for his money in terms of stupidity.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther glared at them. “Shut up,” His eyes focused on Five. “You had a code, right? You didn’t just kill anybody.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The smile on Five’s face dropped and he shook his head. “No code. We took anyone who messed with the timeline, no exceptions.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What about innocent people?” Luther wondered, anger building in his chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes narrowed with fury. “It was the only way I could get back here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But that’s murder!” Luther argued. Five scoffed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jesus, Luther, grow up,” He snapped. “We’re not kids anymore. There’s no such thing as good guys or bad guys. There’s just people, goin’ about their lives.” Luther looked away, disgusted. “But when the world ends, all those people die, including our family.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Luther jumped to his feet with a growl. “Cut the shit, Five, you don’t care about the family. You only care about yourself and Letitia.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya flinched a motion that did not go unnoticed by Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re wrong,” He murmured. “I care about </span>
  <em>
    <span>my family</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And that’s the family I’m going to work to save.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther didn’t know what to say in response, the hidden meaning of Five’s words not lost on him. Within their family, there was a second. One that was Five and Letitia’s, one made up of them, Klaus, Ben, and Vanya. Everyone aside from the top three, the ones who followed their dad the most, the ones the five of them couldn’t trust it seemed. He glared at Five and Vanya before turning and storming out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya watched him leave before a hum from Five caused her to look back over. “Will you watch her for a minute?” He was moving out from under Letitia and propping her back up against the pillows. “I need to get some materials from Diego’s place.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nodded instantly, earning a smile from Five before he disappeared in a flash and reappeared with Dolores and a large file in his arms. A small laugh escaped her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That was one fast minute,” She teased. Five rolled his eyes fondly and set down the file along with Dolores before approaching the wall with a pen in hand. “What are you doing?”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to calculate the identity of who causes the apocalypse, and keep my family safe,” Five replied simply. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia was cold. Worse than ice, this cold felt more as if she’d reached an internal temperature of absolute zero. She could feel the cold dripping through her skin, sinking into her muscles, and settling into her bones until it had taken over her entire body. Her eyes were closed too, and the darkness that ensued because of it somehow made the cold worse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She wanted to shiver, to get her blood flowing, but she couldn’t move. Not a single part of her body obeyed her commands to move, not even when it was to do something as simple as wiggle her finger. Letitia wished she could do anything, but it seemed she was trapped in an impervious darkness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well, almost impervious. She could still hear, barely. Voices were moving around her and sounded as if they were underwater, mutilated and muffled as they traveled from her ears to her brain. She wondered if she had damaged her ears somehow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, the cold turned to a stinging burn that resembled the sensation of needles running across her skin yet also piercing her muscles and bones with how deep the burning went. Letitia’s throat ached with the desire to scream, to get someone to take it away from her. To get Five to take it away from her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She wanted Five. Letitia’s heart had ached for ten months with the feeling of being away from him, and if she waited any longer she was sure it would crack in two and leave a shell of herself behind. Her mind screamed at her with pleas for Five, for his arms to hold her like he did when they were children, for his hands to run through her hair, for him to whisper in her ear and tell her it was all going to be okay. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The burning grew. It was triple the heat of lit napalm and sent bursts of white light across her vision as well as a pounding in her skull. Letitia didn’t know why she wasn’t screaming. Didn’t know why she couldn’t hear anyone. Didn’t know if anyone was trying to touch her and comfort her because all she could feel was </span>
  <em>
    <span>pain</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her vision changed from bursts of white light to a yellow glow that only made her head pound harder as if a sledgehammer was being slammed into it at its terminal velocity. Letitia wondered if this was her personal hell, if she had died after saving Klaus and Dave. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But then, had she actually saved them? Had she gone to Vietnam? Had she been a morphine addict? Perhaps she was lying in a ditch while Hazel and Cha-Cha buried her body next to Klaus as a message for Five. Perhaps she had gone to Vietnam and gotten shot. She didn’t know what to think as the pain morphed into something sharper, something reminiscent of the burn of acid as it spread through her nerve endings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Was she still on the operating table under her father’s scalpel? Would she open her eyes to see her internal organs being reflected into her vision by a full-length mirror? Did her personal hell want her to demonstrate her </span>
  <em>
    <span>control</span>
  </em>
  <span> like her father did? Was Reginald Hargreeves her personal hell?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It would certainly be fitting, she had to admit that. No one, not even Satan, would be as competent as torturing her as Reginald Hargreeves had been in the past. Boiling lakes of sulfur, whips with tips of flame, whatever they could come up with was child's play. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hoped Ben had never seen a pain this bad when he died. Then again, when she had been faced with the sight of a gaping hole in his torso and screaming orders to fix him that she couldn’t possibly fulfill, she had hoped she could, and that hadn’t worked out. A pit formed in her stomach as she wondered what horrors Ben might have been cursed with when he’d died. She wondered if trying to fix him had ever made it even a little bit better, or just exponentially worse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The pain began to subside the longer she dwelled on that topic, and, against her better judgment, Letitia found herself missing the pain. Well, it wasn’t exactly that. She missed the possibility that maybe she could have seen Ben, even for a moment, if the pain had continued. She knew she wouldn’t, though, now that it was going away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For, if it was, that could only mean one thing. Five was there. Letitia struggled to open her eyes, to lift the weight of her lids in order to take the barest glimpse of the man she loved. She reached out as best she could with her sense of touch, praying for even the softest brush of his fingers on her skin to come through and soothe her as it always did. Her body attempted to open its mouth, to call out for him, to beckon him closer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then, just as the pain dulled to a soft ache, the golden glow began to subside. The weight locking her body in place was steadily chipped away. Letitia prayed this was her ascension back to the land of the living. Back to Five and his adorations, his sweet nothings, everything he gave to her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She kept praying as she felt herself drawing closer to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five pulled away from the wall and grinned. It was just him, clothed once again in his uniform, and Letitia in the room now, Vanya had left a couple of hours after Luther did to go on a coffee date with someone. Since she’d left, Five had easily spent another three hours just working on these equations. He looked over at his best friend. </span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, I think I’ve got something, Dolores,” He cheered softly. He turned back to the wall. “It’s tenuous but promising.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who you talkin’ to?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five spun around to see Luther in the doorway. He tensed and rushed to block the man’s path to Letitia while the pen still rested in his hand. In the back of Five’s mind, he calculated a million ways he could kill his brother with just that pen if push came to shove. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther, however, raised his hands in surrender. “Just came in to check out what’s going on,” He muttered, his eyes glancing across the walls covered in equations. “What is all this?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s a probability map,” Five stated coldly. “Now, back away from the bed if you want to know more.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A glare shot from Luther’s eyes towards Five, but he did as his brother bid. Once he was several feet away from Letitia, Five’s muscles relaxed slightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Probability of what?” Luther questioned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five turned and walked back to his wall before continuing his work. “Of whose death could save the world,” He tapped the wall with a pen where four names were listed. “I’ve narrowed it down to four.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther’s eyes widened. “Are you saying one of those four people causes the apocalypse?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched Five sigh and shake his head before glancing at him. “No, I’m saying that their death might prevent it,” He corrected. Luther stared at him confusedly, causing a growl to rip from his chest. “Time is fickle, Luther. The slightest alteration of events can lead to massively different outcomes in the time continuum.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neither of them noticed that Letitia’s eyes were twitching in an attempt to open. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“The butterfly effect,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> She thought to herself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five turned back to his wall. “So all I have to do is find the people with the greatest probability of impacting the timeline, wherever they might be, and kill them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther’s eyes widened as Five moved away from the wall to grab a copy of a book, Vanya’s book, to be exact, and began scrawling new notes in it. He slowly made his way over to the wall, taking great care to avoid the bedridden figure of Letitia on the way, and stared at the list of names on the wall. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Milton Greene,” He murmured. His eyes flicked over to Five. “So who’s he, a terrorist or something?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five looked up from his notes for a brief second. “I believe he is a gardener.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther whipped around to stare at him. “You can’t be serious,” He breathed out, incredulous. “Wait, this is madness, Five. You-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes widened further as Five pulled out a giant bag that he knew was one for a rifle or a similar type of gun. Five unzipped the bag with ease and peered inside with a grin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where did you get that?!” Luther cried out. Five glared and shushed him with a gesture towards Letitia before replying. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“In Dad’s room,” He pulled out a long hunting rifle. “I think he used it to shoot a rhinoceros.” Five studied the gun carefully and maneuvered it into his arms. “It’s a similar model to the one I used at work. Nice shoulder fit and highly reliable.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther’s jaw dropped. “But you can’t-” He looked back at the list and then at Five again. “This guy Milton is just an innocent man.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scoffed. “It’s basic math,” He shot back. “His death could potentially save the lives of billions. If I did nothing, he’d be dead in four days anyway.” He looked up at Luther. “The apocalypse won’t spare anyone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We don’t do this kind of thing,” Luther reminded him desperately. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>We</span>
  </em>
  <span> are not doing anything,” Five interjected. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> am.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther shook his head as Five moved to walk away. “I can’t let you go and kill innocent people. No matter how many lives you’ll save,” He declared. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five smirked. “Well, good luck stopping me.” He turned and began to walk away, not noticing Letitia’s fully open eyes in his haste. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A frustrated sound escaped Luther as he watched Five until the sight of Dolores in his periphery provided a solution. “You’re not going anywhere,” Luther snapped as his hand wrapped around Dolores’ neck and another closed around her head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a slight gagging sound and the sound of plastic falling onto a tiled floor. Five whirled around with his gun pointed at his brother. A pale and bony hand reached out with a yellow glow emanating from the fingertips. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No!” Letitia screamed, her voice hoarse and cracked. Luther’s mind short-circuited as he found himself rooted to the spot. His muscles seized and knots formed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes widened as they moved from his brother to his Lettie. She had woken up. Her eyes were bright and sparkling with life. Her skin had a healthy glow despite the persistent tightness of her form. She looked like herself. She looked like </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> Lettie. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He felt the gun drop from his hands and clatter on the floor as he ran over and wrapped her arms around her tightly. His face burrowed into the crook of her neck and he took a deep and greedy inhale of her scent. Her free hand reached up and clenched around the fabric of his uniform blazer. Tears streaked down their faces. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re okay,” Five whispered. “You’re okay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia sobbed and pressed her face into his jacket while her skin soaked up the feeling of his body pressed against her like a flower without water. The yellow glow fell away from her hand as she released her grasp on Luther’s body, causing him to fall from the pain in his muscles. Letitia shook wildly in Five’s arms, her own body exhausted from her exertion. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five…” She whimpered repeatedly as she fell back against the pillows. Five followed her and pulled her into a tight embrace as he moved them to lay on their sides. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay,” He repeated over and over while running his fingers through her hair. “I’m here. I’m here,” Five’s arms tightened around her. “I’m here, and I’m never letting you go.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dolores,” Letitia breathed out. “Is Dolores-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five spared a glance toward his best friend and noted she was unharmed. Pissed off at Luther, but unharmed. He traced gentle circles into Letitia’s back as she continued sobbing against him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s fine, she’s fine,” He promised. Letitia’s sobs grew louder until they were stuttering wails, muffled by the fabric of his jacket. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t mean to get addicted,” She cried out. “I didn’t mean to leave you, I promise,” Letitia pulled away to look up at Five with desperate eyes. “I promise Five, please, I promise, I didn’t mean to!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If Five had even considered being angry at her before, which he hadn’t, he sure as hell didn’t in that moment. All he could feel was a blinding relief that she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>in his arms</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathing</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>talking</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>okay</span>
  </em>
  <span>. His hand came up to cup the back of her head and press her face into his neck, relief growing when the scent of his skin calmed him down. Eventually, her sobs subsided into sniffles and whimpers. Five pulled away to stare down into her wide brown eyes, still watery with bitter and salty tears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know you didn’t,” He murmured before pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I know that, Lettie,” A kiss to her right cheek. “It was just a mistake,” A kiss to her left cheek. “An itty-bitty mistake.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His hand came down to tilt her head up so that he could press his lips to hers. Letitia sobbed softly into the kiss, her grip tightened around his shoulders. Five pulled away a second later and brushed the hair away from her face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re here now,” He reminded her. “You’re here with me, and I’m never going to leave you.” Letitia sniffled. “Okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five felt his lips spread into a smile as Letitia nodded quickly before burying her face in his neck again, her sobs returning in a renewed wave full of relief and slight euphoria. His smile dropped, however, when he realized the blanket had fallen away to reveal quite a bit of her naked body to their brother. His eyes narrowed and he peered over Letitia’s shoulder to see Luther was avoiding looking at them in favor of attempting to move. With a sigh of relief, he tucked the blanket tightly around Letitia. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Everything’s okay, darling,” She shivered in his arms at the sound of her pet name. “Don’t worry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They jumped, however, when Klaus and Dave appeared in the doorway with a shout. “Klaus, he told you you can’t see her-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus froze as his eyes landed on his sister. Letitia stared back, her eyes wide. Klaus took a step forward. Letitia felt Five’s grip tighten, heard the growl mounting in his throat. Klaus flinched and stared at her desperately. Letitia looked up at Five and placed a hand on his cheek. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dear,” She whispered. “It’s okay, it’s Klaus.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five snarled at his brother and watched as Klaus flinched again. “He didn’t keep you safe,” He muttered harshly. “He needs to understand the consequences.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus stepped back as if he’d been slapped. “But-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia stared up at Five in shock. “Five, that’s our brother, that’s Klaus. He’s not a stranger.” She took a deep breath and steeled her nerves. “Just, just let me tell him I’m okay, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five looked between his darling and his idiot brother, who trembled like a kicked puppy with a matching expression to boot. Eventually, he sighed and gestured for Klaus to come over while he adjusted himself and Letitia so she was laying on top of him, between his legs and propped up against his chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, Klaus,” Letitia promised as her second favorite Hargreeves shuffled over to her. “I’m okay. C’mere.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus watched Five warily as he sat in Vanya’s vacant chair and took her hand in his. Tears poured down his face in streams. “I’m so </span>
  <em>
    <span>sorry</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Letitia smiled sadly at his words. “I messed up, Tish. I messed up and you almost-” He choked on the end of his sentence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stiffened as Letitia’s hand pulled away from his to ruffle his curls with shaky fingers. “It’s okay,” She repeated. “We made it back,” Her gaze drifted to Dave and her smile brightened slightly. “All of us did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave smiled back at Letitia and made his way further into the room until he was next to Klaus. “Thank you, by the way. For saving my life.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia waved him off with nonchalance while Five pulled her arm away from Klaus so he could hold both of her hands in his. “It’s no trouble, Dave,” She winked at Klaus, who promptly burst into tears, “Not for the man my brother loves.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time Klaus had calmed down enough to leave with Dave, Letitia was wide awake and feeling far calmer. She suspected there might be a sedative in one of the IV bags, but she didn’t mind in the moment. A few minutes later, Five left to fetch Pogo so she could get a physical exam done. This left Luther to free himself from her powers and also hide the gun away from Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes widened as Five returned from talking to Pogo after the exam, who confirmed she was almost entirely recovered, and watched as he jumped directly to her bed just as she reached out for him. She couldn’t hold back the shaking that took over her body, or the tears that formed in her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shh,” He hushed her gently while rubbing her back. “I’m right here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shivered and moved her hands to unbutton his shirt, the feeling of his skin against hers heavenly for her panic-riddled self. “Don’t leave me,” She pleaded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shook his head. “Never,” He promised. Before he could say anything else, Luther returned to the room. Five’s body tensed as he moved to enter, and in a moment of intelligence, Luther remained in the doorway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We need to come up with a plan,” He stated. Five scoffed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I had a plan, you decided to stop me,” The reminder caused Luther to glare at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“One that doesn’t involve killing anyone,” He clarified, much to Five’s displeasure. “Come on, you must have at least one idea that doesn’t involve murdering a random gardener named Milton.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five was silent for several seconds. Letitia watched him as he thought it over, his eyes moving from Luther to stare at the briefcase. She shuddered at the sight of it and looked away, only able to see blood and hear the sound of gunfire when she looked at it. Five held her tighter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There is one way,” He began. “But it’s just about impossible.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther flashed the smallest of smiles. “More impossible than what brought you here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That wasn’t impossible,” Letitia whispered. Five looked down at her. “You’re a genius, dearest, that is an undeniable fact,” She smiled as Five blushed ever so slightly. “So, tell us what this plan is, and we’ll make it work.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hold on now,” The two of them looked over at Luther. “You were completely unresponsive less than an hour ago, you can’t possibly come with-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shook his head. “You have learned nothing!” He interjected. “Absolutely nothing, Luther.” He looked down at Letitia and back up at Luther. “Where I go, she goes. This time, however, she’s not going to get hurt.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smiled and nodded at that, her body snuggling closer to Five’s while Luther started to protest before heaving a defeated sigh. “Let me get dressed, and then we can head out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anxiety was running high as Luther drove their father’s car down a country road just outside of the city. Letitia was in Five’s lap, despite being in the front seat, and between them and Luther sat the briefcase. Five let out a short sigh as the car slowed to a stop while his arms remained around Letitia’s middle. She hummed and reached over to unclip the seatbelt while Luther watched them in his periphery. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know,” Letitia’s gaze raised to Five’s face as he looked out the window. “I never enjoyed it. The killing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She hummed softly and rested her head on his chest while her hand came up to run her fingers through his hair. “I know that,” Letitia murmured. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The car ride had been long, and, through Luther’s pressuring of the issue, Five had shared the story of his time at the Commission with Letitia, who had only been mildly surprised. When questioned about it, she explained she’d had a feeling that his job had been something like that when he hadn’t brought it up while telling her about Hazel and Cha-Cha. Five had laughed softly in response, shaking his head at the reminder that Letitia knew him far too well for him to be able to hide much from her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five leaned down and pressed a kiss to her hair. “My darling,” He whispered against the golden locks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Silence reigned after his words until the mounting tension broke Luther. He looked over at the briefcase sitting between him and his siblings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You think they’ll buy it?” He wondered. Five shrugged. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” He admitted. His free hand reached out to fiddle with the straps. “But I do know they’re desperate.” Luther frowned. “It’s like a cop losing his gun. If the Commission finds out, they’ll be in deep shit. Oh, not to mention the fact that they’ll be stuck here until they find a way to get it back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia allowed herself a small smile as she stared at the briefcase, finding a small amount of pleasure in having tortured Hazel and Cha-Cha further by having taken the briefcase. It didn’t make up for Vietnam, not in the slightest, but it certainly helped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther cleared his throat, yanking Letitia from her thoughts. “Well, I should hold on to it,” He decided. Five raised an eyebrow. “In case they make a move on you or Letitia.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At the mention of that hypothetical, Five nodded once. “Fine, but be careful.” He took a deep breath. “I’ve lived a long life, but you’re still young. I’d hate for-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He paused as Letitia’s finger came up to cover his lips. “No talking like that,” She ordered with a slight wobble in her voice. “No one is losing anyone today.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded slowly in response and opened his mouth to reply, but the sound of a car approaching forced them all to look out the windshield. Letitia’s eyes narrowed as she watched a blue car climb a hill with two passengers inside. Five reached out and popped the door open. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Here we go,” He breathed out. Letitia nodded once and grabbed his hand tightly before following him out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They walked around the back of the car and joined Luther in staring at the masked assassins as they passed them in their car before coming to a stop several feet behind their own car. Five looked down at Letitia, who wasn’t betraying her emotions as she watched the car door open. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You okay?” He whispered. Letitia took a deep breath and squeezed his hand three times. Five smiled at the silent ‘I love you’. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I am now,” She replied softly. The car door shut as Hazel and Cha-Cha exited and made their way over to the three Hargreeves. She walked forward beside Five as he moved to meet them in the middle. “Just let me know if I need to break their kneecaps.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He chuckled softly at the comment but said nothing as he focused on Hazel and Cha-Cha coming to a stop across from him and Letitia. Five looked up at the masks and waved his hand dismissively. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are the masks really necessary?” He asked with a mocking smile. “We both know what you look like, after all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Without a word, Hazel and Cha-Cha reached up and pulled off their masks to reveal their faces before tossing them away to the side of the road. Cha-Cha glared at Five and Letitia, bitterness at the injuries she had sustained from them shining through. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So where is it, kids?” She demanded harshly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five quirked an eyebrow in response. “Wow, that’s how you’re gonna start. You know, we can get right back in our car and call it a day,” He pointed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Cha-Cha rolled her eyes and pulled out a gun, causing Letitia to stiffen. “You won’t even make it halfway there.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe,” Five countered. His thumb rubbed the back of Letitia’s hand gently, forcing her to relax. “But as I’m sure you found out in your previous foray, my brother is not your average giant, and my girlfriend is not a dumb blonde.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hazel nodded. “He’s right,” He chimed, earning a giggle from Letitia and a smirk from Five. “You dropped a chandelier on him, got right back up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“By the time you took him out,” Five continued, pulling Cha-Cha’s attention back to him. “He’d smash your precious briefcase to a pulp.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And probably us too, right?” Hazel interjected again. Letitia flashed him a sweet smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Most definitely,” She confirmed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hazel sighed. “So, how do we help each other?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five grinned. “I need you to get in contact with your superior, so I can have a chat with her. Face-to-face.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Cha-Cha’s eyes narrowed. “About what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia looked up at Five as he sighed mockingly and beamed at her. “Well, I don’t believe that’s any of your concern.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They watched as Cha-Cha sighed frustratedly before she nodded once. “Just don’t tell her about the briefcase,” She pleaded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded once. “Fair enough,” He agreed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, both duos turned and walked away to their respective cars. Letitia sighed as she and Five leaned against the car while Luther walked over to join them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What happens now?” Their brother asked urgently. Five hummed and reached up to rub Letitia’s back as her fingers began to shake. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now, we wait,” He admitted. Across the way, Cha-Cha finished dialing a number at a nearby payphone and walked back to stand with Hazel. Everyone tensed, however, when a new sound streaked through the air. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia pushed herself off the car as snippets of ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ride of the Valkyries</span>
  </em>
  <span>’ filtered into her ear. Five followed her and turned, his brows furrowing at the sight of an ice cream truck barrelling towards them. Luther joined them in frowning, as did Hazel and Cha-Cha, when he took notice of the vehicle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that her?” He whispered. Five didn’t respond as the truck drew closer, but Letitia gasped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No…” She breathed out. Five’s eyes widened when he caught sight of exactly what she had spotted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus, Dave, and Diego were in that ice cream truck. They were driving it straight at Hazel and Cha-Cha. He wanted to scream as their carefully laid out plan began to fall to shit. Letitia began to shake as she watched the trio continue their path toward the assassins. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s a setup!” Cha-Cha shouted, her gun coming up to aim at Klaus as they too caught sight of the truck’s passengers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s arm came up and struck Five in the stomach, shoving him behind her while Luther leaped in front of both of them as gunshots rang out. A scream echoed from Letitia’s throat as her hands came up to cover her ears. Five gasped and caught her as she fell to her knees, rocking back and forth desperately as she fought to block out the noise. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lettie!” He cried out as the sound of glass shattering echoed. “Lettie! It’s okay, it’s okay, you’re okay!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, everything went quiet. Five stiffened and tightened his hold on Letitia as she sobbed wildly, still rocking back and forth. His head turned to peer over his shoulder. Terror spiked at the sight of everyone frozen in place, except for him and Letitia. Five looked back down at Letitia. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, it’s okay,” He repeated as if to reassure himself as well as her. “You’ll be just fine. I promise you’re going to be just fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not for long~!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s sobs stuttered at the sound of the new voice. Five froze in place. He knew that voice. He knew it all too well. His arms dropped away from Letitia as he turned to face the newcomer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler beamed at him. “Hello, Five,” She greeted while pulling her veil back and her sunglasses off. Five tensed as she peered around him. “And hello, </span>
  <em>
    <span>darling </span>
  </em>
  <span>Letitia.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes narrowed dangerously and he grabbed Letitia to pull her up and hold her tightly against him. “How did you-” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re not the only one who read your sister’s book,” The Handler interjected. “And you’re most certainly not the only one who found a favorite in that little one.” Her smile suddenly shifted, turning predatory as she walked over to him. “She was certainly the most interesting out of all of you, aside from yourself of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia blinked at her, sheer fear silencing her sobs as she watched the Handler make her way over to them. Five growled as the Handler stopped a few feet from them, a dark gleam in her eyes as she continued studying them. Finally, she sighed and focused on Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You look good, all things considered,” She complimented. Five looked away from her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s good to see you again,” He muttered. The Handler rolled her eyes while Letitia moved even further behind Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Feels like we met just yesterday,” She remarked, her gaze turning up towards the sky as she spoke. “Course,” Her eyes drifted back to him. “You were a little bit older then.” She chuckled. “Congratulations on the age regression, by the way. It really threw us off the scent.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five rolled his eyes. “Well, I wish I could take credit,” He snapped. “I just miscalculated the time dilation projections and… Well, you know.” His free hand gestured down at his body. “Here I am.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler shook her head fondly. “You know your efforts are futile,” She reminded him. “So why don’t you tell me what you really want?” Her gaze flicked to Letitia. “Aside from her, I assume that’s a given.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A snarl curled on Five’s lips while Letitia continued shaking like a baby deer behind him. “You know what I want,” He reminded her. “I want you to put a stop to it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia watched as the Handler chuckled. “You realize what you’re asking for is next to impossible, even for me.” She leaned back and forth on her heels with a smile playing on her ruby red lips. “What’s meant to be is meant to be. That’s our raison d’etre.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler’s eyes widened as Five reached into his pocket to pull out a handgun, but a smirk settled on her face when Letitia reached out and grabbed his hand, forcing it down. Five looked over his shoulder with wide eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” Letitia whispered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shivered at the underlying plea, the cries of her PTSD as she begged him to put away with the gun with only her eyes. He turned back to the Handler. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lovely Lettie is right,” The Handler commented, the resounding growl from Five at her name choice eliciting a grin. “I’ll just be replaced, no point in shooting me. After all, I’m just a small cog in the machine.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five said nothing and watched the Handler take another step closer. Letitia’s fingers curled into his blazer as they took a step away in return. The Handler sighed in response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know, this fantasy you’ve been nurturing of summoning up your family to defeat the apocalypse; is just that. A fantasy,” She pointed out. Five and Letitia stared at her silently. “On the bright side,” She continued. “We’re all quite impressed with your initiative, your stick-to-itiveness, it’s really quite… quite something.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes widened. “You want to offer him a different job,” She realized. The Handler grinned and clapped her hands excitedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And not just Five, darling,” Five nearly lunged at the use of his pet name. “We’re also quite impressed by your powers. The complete control you have over the human body, why it would speed up our fieldwork exponentially!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re not taking her,” Five snapped. “You could take anyone else in the world but her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I won’t do fieldwork,” She declared coldly. “You can put me somewhere else if you want me that badly, but I’m not killing anyone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five whipped around and stared down at her in shock. “You can’t be serious-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s got the right idea,” The Handler chimed. “After all, the job we’re offering you is in Management and…” She walked around Five to run her fingers through Letitia’s hair. “With some talks, I could slot Letitia in there too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five glared at the Handler and lunged forward to snatch her wrist in his hand. “Do. Not. Touch. Her,” He snarled. The Handler pouted and pulled her hand away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re no fun,” She muttered. “Anyways, what do you say? Working in the Head Office of the Commission, with the best health and pension, an end to the ceaseless travel,” She smirked. “Your darling by your side.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia stared at Five. She knew it was the last thing he wanted to do. She knew he hated the thought of going back there. She could also feel something urging her to do it, though. Letitia turned to look over at the Handler and then back at Five. She leaned forward to whisper in his ear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We can figure exactly what causes the apocalypse,” She whispered softly, just loud enough for him to hear. “Once we do that, the rest is easy as pie.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes remained locked on her as she pulled away. “Are you sure?” He questioned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler looked between them excitedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded once. “I’m sure,” She promised. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Perfect!” The Handler squealed and grabbed their hands tightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before either Five or Letitia could say anything else, the three of them disappeared in a flash of blue light. When they landed, their eyes widened at the sight of an opulent building surrounding them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler smiled. “Welcome, to the Commission’s Head Office.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay, I know this was another twist even though we already had one, but could you really see Letitia allowing Five to go off on his own when she already lost him for ten months??!! I couldn't either, hence this move. </p><p>Also, boy was this chapter LONG. I forgot how much of this episode if just Five's plotline, which meant more to write, and then the next thing I knew it was 22 pages long. Whoopsies. </p><p>LASTLY: Dave's acclimation did get a little skipped over in this chapter, but have no fear. It will be addressed in the next chapter, which will start when Dave and Klaus got to the house and then catch up to Five and Lettie.</p><p>Anyways, thank you for reading!! Please leave a comment with your thoughts, and I hope you all have a great day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. The Day That Wasn't (Part One)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We get caught up with Klaus and Dave, Letitia and Five arrive at the Commission, and Vanya walks in on a meeting.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>
      <em>Yesterday</em>
    </b>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave had been taught how to stay calm. The gunfire of Vietnam and the ever-present risk of death was a rather harsh teacher in regards to that skill, and achieving that skill often came with terrible and unpleasant memories one would try to push into the very deepest recesses of one’s mind. So, he figured he would be able to take anything the world threw at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then he’d almost died. Because of two little bullets, he’d almost lost everything that ever mattered to him in the hell he’d been confined to for a year. Klaus, the idea of a life with him, his sweet touch, his adoring kisses, it was almost ripped away from him by the stinging bite of a bullet and the sticky gush of blood pouring out of him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But, he didn’t. Against all the odds, he survived a bullet to the chest and another to the crook between his neck and shoulder, and it was all because of Klaus’ baby sister. He didn’t know her very well, they’d only spoken in passing whenever Klaus was going between the two of them. And yet, despite hardly ever speaking to him, she’d saved his life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>However, in doing so, it seemed she had nearly cost herself her own life. Guilt curled in Dave’s stomach at the thought as he stared at Letitia’s thin and barely alive self as she lay on a hospital bed. There was anger too, anger at Letitia’s boyfriend for being so cruel to Klaus and threatening him with death. In his mind, however, there was confusion and fear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus,” He stammered as he was led away from the infirmary. “Klaus, what’s going on?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His lover took a deep breath. “Come on,” He murmured. “There’s a lot I need to tell you, and you’re probably going to hate me for it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave knew that wasn’t possible. He could be angry at Klaus. He could be miserable because of him. But hate would never be an option between them. It just wasn’t possible, and he wasn’t about to make it possible today. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus, just tell me the truth,” Dave pleaded as they ascended the stairs into a large and rather opulent house. His eyes widened as they took it all in. “This is where you live?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His lover nodded slowly. “This is the Umbrella Academy,” He explained. “It’s where my siblings and I were raised, and it’s a school for people like my family.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave frowned and followed Klaus down a series of hallways until they reached Klaus’ bedroom. His eyes widened as he took in the amalgamation of rugs, posters, fairy lights, and overall warmth and comfort of the room. It was different from the rest of the house by leaps and bounds, that was for sure. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean, people like your family?” He asked while taking a seat on a large cushion on the floor as Klaus began rifling through his drawers for a new outfit. “Are you guys superheroes or something?” He joked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Humor had always been his default for dealing with complex situations, ones that terrified him with the amount of unknown variables in the equation. Well, that and drugs. Klaus, however, was not amused. He changed his shirt and then turned and sat down next to Dave with a grim expression. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” He muttered. “We are.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave froze. “What…?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus took a deep breath. “On October 1st, 1986, forty-three women around the world gave birth at the exact same second,” He recited, the story of his siblings and his own origins a well-known tale. “The only strange thing was that none of them had been pregnant when the day began.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked over at Dave, who was gaping at him with wide eyes. Klaus shivered and wiped his eyes, before continuing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My father, Reginald Hargreeves, bought eight of them,” He explained. “Myself, my siblings, and also Letitia’s boyfriend. All of us, aside from Vanya, turned out to have superpowers, and he raised us to be soldiers against crime.” He stared at Dave. “That’s who I am. A motherfucking superhero in a super fucking hero family.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave blinked several times. He could feel the panic rising in his chest, his body was shaking. His breathing and heart rate were skyrocketing. “What…?” He repeated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus brought his hands up and rested them on Dave’s shoulders. “Breathe,” He reminded him before taking a deep breath himself. “Match my breathing, c’mon.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was utter silence aside from the sound of them breathing, at first in different tempos but eventually catching up to each other until they were both taking slow and deep breaths. Dave reached up and pulled Klaus’ hands off his shoulders to hold them in his. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So,” He swallowed. “When Letitia saved me…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus nodded. “She can manipulate the human body, so she forced your wounds to close and your body to heal,” He took a deep breath. “We all have different powers, and we all have our own limitations.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave shuddered and forced himself to take another breath. “So, what are everyone’s powers?” He whispered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t deny the curiosity that was steadily blooming in his chest about this new side of Klaus. The overarching feeling in his mind and body was still panic, but there was that little seed of ‘I want to know’ that he couldn’t help but want to feed until it blossomed with new knowledge. Dave looked up as Klaus looked away from him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Luther has super strength, Diego can use telekinesis on throwing knives to control their paths, Allison can make you do, say or believe anything she wants if she says ‘I heard a rumor’,” Klaus shuddered at awful memories of his sister using her power on them as kids, and then froze and stiffened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave squeezed his hands. “Is something wrong?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus opened his mouth to say no, but another voice cut him off. A voice Dave couldn’t hear from a person Dave couldn’t see. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, is something wrong, Klaus?” Ben snapped from behind him. Klaus shivered as he stalked over to stand behind him. “Maybe, it’s the fact that our sister nearly </span>
  <em>
    <span>died</span>
  </em>
  <span> and you didn’t notice.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up,” Klaus muttered. Dave frowned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus shook his head desperately. “Not you,” He shivered and looked back up at Dave. “I can summon the dead. I can hear them, talk to them, all of it, as long as I’m sober.” He glared over his shoulder. “The only exception is with my dead brother.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben glared right back down at Klaus. “Are you having fun with your little boyfriend while our little sister is being treated for </span>
  <em>
    <span>drug addiction</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave looked past Klaus’ shoulder and then back at Klaus. “Your dead brother is here right now?” He breathed out, stunned. Klaus turned back to him, ignoring Ben, and nodded. “Are the ghosts always invisible or can you make them appear?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus tensed. “I can make them appear,” He admitted. “I don’t like to, though. It’s why Letitia was giving me morphine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shame coursed through Klaus’ veins at how shamelessly he’d used his sister to maintain his own comfort. He felt more tears slip from his eyes and sobbed softly when Dave reached up and brushed them away. He looked back into Dave’s eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why aren’t you freaking out yet?” He whispered. Dave laughed at that, a sound that brought the smallest of smiles to Klaus’ face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Trust me, I am,” He confessed. “I’m expecting that at any second I’m gonna wake up and all of this will be a hallucination. That we’ll both still be in Vietnam, in 1968, and that time travel will be a thing of science fiction, not a fact of the universe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus’ smile fell and he looked down at the ground. “Do you… Do you want to go back to Vietnam?” He didn’t dare look up for fear of his reaction. “Cause, I could ask Five to bring you back there. If you wanted.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave’s hand came up to cup Klaus’ chin and tilt his face up. A tense smile was on his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I said I was freaking out, not that I wanted to go back home,” He pointed out. Klaus’ eyes widened. “Now, you have a lot to fill me in on.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus nodded quickly and began spinning the rest of the sorry tale that was the Umbrella Academy, what growing up with Reginald was like, how they had Pogo and Grace, and how he’d ended up in Vietnam with Letitia. His lover took it in stride, claiming that there was no way someone as extraordinary as Klaus could have ever come from a background as ordinary as the one he’d told him about in Vietnam. Dave only truly freaked out, vocally and visibly, when they reached the topic of the apocalypse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, wait, the world is ending in three days?” Dave repeated for what must have been the fifth time. Klaus nodded patiently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, but we can stop it,” He explained. “Five and Letitia have been figuring out who causes it and they’re going to make sure whoever it is won’t be able to actually end the world!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave’s breathing had picked up again. He curled in on himself as the idea of the world burning wormed into his mind, filling his nose with the scent of burning forests and burning flesh. His body registered the feeling of Klaus trying to calm him down, but his mind was in another world. He could feel himself shaking, hear the helicopter blades above them and the gunshots around them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus wrapped his arms around Dave and pressed their bodies together. “Dave, Dave, it’s going to be okay,” He promised. “My family is going to keep us safe. We’ll be just fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It took a long time for Dave to come back to him, and when he did it was right when Diego was leaving to take care of something. So, being the deflector he usually was, Klaus dragged Dave from his room and ran down the stairs to intercept Diego. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Diego,” Klaus shouted. “Where are you going?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego turned to face them, his eyes narrowing when they spotted Dave. “Who’s that?” He demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus waved him off. “My boyfriend, Dave.” He gestured between the two men. “Dave, Diego. Diego, Dave. Now, where are you going?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m off to kill Hazel and Cha-Cha,” He stated, well past beating around the bush at this point. “Anywhere you need to stop on the way?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave leaned in to whisper in Klaus’ ear. “Who are Hazel and Cha-Cha?”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re the assassins that kidnapped and tortured me,” Klaus explained in a single breath before turning back to Diego. “The vet bar a couple streets over would be a good place to stop on the way, thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Diego sighed and motioned for them to follow him. As they did so, Dave tensed up further with each step. Klaus frowned and pulled him into the car before reaching up to rub his back gently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, hey, what’s going on?” He murmured. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave took a deep and shuddering breath. “I want to kill them,” He stated simply. “This Hazel and Cha-Cha, I want to kill them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus’ eyes widened. “But you said you didn’t want to fight anymore. Why would you-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t want to fight in battles, in wars,” Dave flashed Klaus a tiny smile. “But I’ll always fight for you. I hope you know that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For once, Klaus didn’t have a comeback. No words to reply with, nothing was coming to his mind. All he could do was stare at Dave in shock until Diego broke the silence with his usual lack of tact. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, it will certainly make killing them easier if there’s someone helping out,” He commented. Dave flashed him a grin in the rearview mirror, and before they knew it, they were off to their first stop. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The vet bar was somewhere that Klaus had never dreamed he would ever frequent, but Dave was a different story. He’d come from a family where to serve your country through the military was one of the highest achievements you could have. So, when they walked in, Dave looked right at home for once in his life since Klaus had met him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on, let’s find our company,” He urged while guiding Klaus over to a wall of photos on plaques. They were stopped, however, by a rather burly patron before they were even halfway to the wall. Behind them, standing in the doorway, Diego watched the interaction with a tense gaze. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You do know this bar is for vets only, right?” The man questioned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus winced as Dave tensed at the comment. Diego made his way over to stand just behind his brother. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We are vets, sir,” Dave muttered. The man, a marine by the looks of it, raised an eyebrow in response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh yeah? Where’d you serve?” He demanded. Dave’s hands clenched into fists while Klaus looked between him and the marine fearfully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s none of your business,” He snapped. Klaus looked over at Diego, who was watching them with shock while the marine scoffed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You got balls comin’ in here, pretendin’ you’re one of us,” His gaze slipped to Klaus. “The both of you do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus glared at the marine at that. “Oh, we have every right to be here, just like you.” He took a step forward. “Asshole.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave stepped forward just as the marine closed the distance between himself and Klaus, his face contorted with fury. Klaus watched as Dave maneuvered his body in front of him, his slightly more muscular frame a better match for the burly marine than his own rail-thin one. Diego, however, went one step further and pulled both Klaus and Dave away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, marine, my brother and his friend had a few too many,” He explained, trying to ignore the murderous glare Dave was shooting at the back of his head. “Let’s just call it a day, and we’ll get out of your hair.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The marine looked over the trio with open disgust and anger for several moments before he sighed. “Fine, so long as they apologize.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego couldn’t hold back the flow of expletives that erupted in his mind at the marine’s words. If there was anything he knew for sure about Klaus, it was that he was stubborn as a mule; and if anyone could keep up with that it would be someone as equally stubborn, which meant Dave would fight back just as hard as Klaus. He looked between Dave and Klaus, his eyes urgent and pleading. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“C’mon guys,” He muttered. “We can’t risk a bar fight right now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave glowered at the marine. “But he’s-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know, he’s being disrespectful, but we need to go,” Diego reminded him. “We have bigger fish to fry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Dave and Klaus shared a look before they flashed blindingly fake smiles at the marine. “Apologies, sir,” They chorused. The marine nodded once. “We’ll be on our way.” They started to turn away, but Dave paused. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sir?” The marine quirked a brow. “Can you tell me what happened to David Katz and Klaus Hargreeves of the Twenty-Third Infantry Division in the Vietnam War?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The marine looked over at a man at the bar, who flicked through a binder in search of their infantry division. Finally, he looked up with a sad expression. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Missing In Action, presumed dead,” He explained. Dave nodded once and said nothing more while Klaus didn’t know how to react. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego heaved a sigh of relief before dragging the two vets from the bar and into the car. No one said anything as he started the car up and brought it back around to the house. Klaus and Dave exited it with ease, no longer in the mood to hunt down any assassins. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My family thinks I’m dead,” Dave murmured as they climbed the stairs up to Klaus’ bedroom. “All of them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus was silent as they continued their ascent, unsure of what to say in response. He had been lucky, they’d returned to his time, to his family, and he was right back at home. Dave, however, had given up everything to be with him. He wouldn’t see his mother, father, uncle, anyone from his family back in Dallas. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And they never got a coffin,” He continued in the softest whisper as he sunk down to sit on Klaus’ bed. “Just a telegram saying I was MIA.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave sniffled as Klaus laid down beside him and pulled him down to snuggle close. He shivered at the feeling of Klaus’ fingers drifting up and down his back, and before he could stop himself he burst into tears. Hot, salty tears that burned against his skin and stung at his eyes like the ashes from the trees that had burned around them in Vietnam. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus felt tears burning his own eyes as Dave’s sniffles morphed to sobs. He wanted to say something, anything that might assuage the ache in his lover’s heart, but no words were coming out of his mouth. Behind them, Ben watched the scene unfold with a mix of sadness for Klaus and lingering fury that Letitia had so easily left his mind in favor of Dave. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My family,” Dave sobbed. “They’re all gone. I can’t see any of them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The room was filled with similar words as the reality of everything crashed down in a heartbreaking explosion of grief, terror, and eventually anger. Klaus didn’t say a word as Dave’s words turned to blame, to venomous tirades directed at his selfishness. He didn’t say anything when Dave pulled away from his hold and stormed around the room in a sobbing fury, holding back the urge to punch anything in sight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It remained this way for hours, during which Dave dipped and spiked in his depressive or fury-filled outbursts until he finally didn’t have the energy for more tears. He slumped against the wall and fell to the floor while his eyes moved to Klaus, who had continued to remain silent. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” He croaked out. “I’m not being fair,” He wiped his eyes. “I’m just-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sad,” Klaus slid off the bed and moved to sit next to Dave. “Terrified, angry, grieving, worried,” His arm wound around Dave’s shoulders. “I know. And it is partially my fault,” He sighed softly. “I should’ve told you everything from the start.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave allowed himself to chuckle. “I’m not sure I would’ve believed you,” He admitted. Klaus laughed as well, a short sound that died as Dave’s expression sobered. “And, while it is kind of your fault, it’s also mine. I’m the one that still chose to go with you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That you did,” Klaus agreed. He looked up into Dave’s eyes. “What on Earth made you do that?” He wondered jokingly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Dave pulled Klaus closer. “You are my number one,” He reminded him. “And the only man I would ever go to the future for.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus opened his mouth to respond but was soon cut off by the sound of distant and muffled shouts from downstairs. His eyes widened as he and Dave stiffened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Letitia,” They realized in unison. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Both of them shot to their feet a moment later and made their way down the stairs as the shouting increased in volume. As they drew closer to the basement, the sound of wailing cries reached their ears, cries that gradually decreased as the source was soothed into a gentle calm. Before they reached the infirmary, however, Dave reached out and grabbed Klaus’ shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus, he told you you can’t see her-” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was cut off as Klaus ripped from his grasp and bolted to the doorway before sagging with relief. Dave shook his head and joined him, peering over Klaus’ shoulder at Letitia as she lay in the arms of her boyfriend. Who was also her sibling. A small part of his brain recoiled at the thought, but he also remembered Klaus’ explanation of how they were raised. They weren’t adopted, that was a sham. They were bought, like chattel. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus took a step forward but froze as Five growled at him from his spot beside Letitia. He could feel terror as he watched his sister staring at him with wide eyes before looking up at Five. He knew it. She hated him. She was going to go off with Five and never want to see him again. His body began to shake as she smiled up at Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dear,” She whispered, silencing Five’s growl. “It’s okay, it’s Klaus.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He could hardly believe his ears. Behind him, Dave couldn’t help the smile that appeared on his face. He hadn’t gotten to know Letitia well before she’d saved him, which was unfortunate, but he just knew she would accept Klaus with open arms. She truly did hold him in a special place in her heart. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He didn’t keep you safe,” The smile fell at the snarl from her boyfriend. “He needs to understand the consequences.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus stepped back, stunned. “But-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>However, as Dave expected, Letitia wasn’t having any of that. “Five, that’s our brother, that’s Klaus. He’s not a stranger.” She took a deep breath. “Just, just let me tell him I’m okay, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All eyes were on Five as he stared at Klaus with barely concealed rage, fuelled by protectiveness over his darling. Eventually, he sighed and gestured for Klaus to come over while he adjusted himself and Letitia so she was laying on top of him, between his legs and propped up against his chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, Klaus,” Letitia promised as her second favorite Hargreeves shuffled over to her. “I’m okay. C’mere.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus watched Five warily as he sat in a vacant chair and took her hand in his. Tears poured down his face in streams. “I’m so </span>
  <em>
    <span>sorry</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Letitia smiled sadly at his words. “I messed up, Tish. I messed up and you almost-” He choked on the end of his sentence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stiffened as Letitia’s hand pulled away from his to ruffle his curls with shaky fingers. “It’s okay,” She repeated. “We made it back,” Her gaze drifted to Dave and her smile brightened slightly. “All of us did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Dave smiled back at Letitia and made his way further into the room until he was next to Klaus. “Thank you, by the way. For saving my life.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia waved him off with nonchalance while Five pulled her arm away from Klaus so he could hold both of her hands in his. “It’s no trouble, Dave,” She winked at Klaus, who promptly burst into tears, “Not for the man my brother loves.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave looked down at Klaus and nudged her. “She’s still my favorite out of all your siblings,” He murmured with a wink at Letitia, who beamed with pride. “Now, come on. We need to let her rest.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus nodded slowly and leaned forward to press a kiss to Letitia’s cheek, a gesture that made Five glare at him with the heat of a thousand suns, before he turned and left with Dave. The relief that poured into his body as he walked away was a welcome sensation and was almost strong enough to knock him off his feet as he ascended the staircase next to Dave. When they reached the top, however, someone was waiting for them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego avoided their gaze. “I don’t know the name of the motel,” He admitted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A frown appeared on Klaus’ face. “Sorry?” He queried. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know the name of the motel!” Diego shouted, his face turning red at his admission. Klaus and Dave shared a look before grinning. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll tell you if we get to come with~” Klaus decided with a sing-song voice. Diego groaned and rolled his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine! Come on,” He grumbled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>From there, the rest was history. Well, history for Five and Letitia as they walked behind the Handler across the lawn between the two main buildings of the Commission. Their hands were locked together, neither one of them wanting to release the other. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I must admit, Number Five, Letitia, in all the time that I’ve been here, I’ve never met anyone quite like you two,” The Handler confessed. “Hazel and Cha-Cha, for example, are talented, certainly, but they can’t see the big picture.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The big picture?” Letitia questioned, the action buying them time to look around as the Handler slowed her walking speed to respond. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Certainly, Letitia,” The Handler grinned at her. “The time continuum is similar to the bodies you so easily control, bendable and with many small pieces making up a whole that only certain people can see and understand. And,” Her eyes glittered with excitement. “With you two so adept at control, it’s even easier for the both of you to see it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded slowly. “Interesting,” She murmured while mulling the concept over. Meanwhile, the Handler continued as if she hadn’t spoken. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And when it comes to you, Number Five,” She licked her lips quickly, sending a distrustful shudder down their spines. “Your spunk, your enterprising spirit, well, it reminds me a great deal of myself, if I may be so vainglorious.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five wanted to rip her throat out the longer she spoke, her words only feeding the part of his mind that hated who he’d become. He had never wanted to be like her, someone who was so utterly vile and blase about the violence and killing of her occupation. And yet, somewhere along the way, he had. He looked over as Letitia moved a little closer to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re nothing like her,” She whispered. Five shivered at the sensation of her breath against his ear and felt his hand squeeze hers once. On his other side, the Handler continued her speech. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If things work out for you here,” Her greedy eyes drank in Five’s features. “You could potentially make a fine successor, Five.” Her gaze drifted to Letitia. “And you’d have quite the little helper by your side if I might be so bold.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neither Letitia nor Five said anything as they followed her into the second building that housed the Commission, one with intricate details of wrought iron, marble, and polished stone. They paused partway through the foyer as the Handler removed her coat and passed it off to someone, along with her briefcase. Five watched her carefully and seized his opportunity. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’d like to discuss the logistics of my family’s safety at your earliest convenience,” He guided Letitia up the marble staircase as they followed the Handler. “As well as Lettie’s place in the Commission.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler watched him from her periphery as they continued up the stairs. “Such chutzpah!” They turned a corner on the staircase. “It’s refreshing, I’ll admit.” She took a moment to adjust her hair. “Slow down, Five. All in good time. Besides, Letitia’s place is up to myself and the powers that be, not yourself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five opened his mouth to protest but thought better of it when Letitia’s foot clipped him in the ankle and her eyes shot him a quick glare. He could feel his free hand tightening into a fist as the Handler once again continued her speech. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“In fact, now that you’ve finally agreed to come work with us, we’ve got all the time in the world.” She leaned across Five to grin at Letitia. “Which means I can give you both a tour and tell you more about the Commission, darling!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia plastered a grateful smile on her face while Five fought back the fury at her repeated use of his pet name. “That would be great, thank you!” She chirped, earning a wider smile from the Handler. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Perfect, now just follow me,” The Handler ordered as they rounded another corner. “As I’m sure Five has told you, the Commission works in support of a delicate balance between the predetermined timeline of events and mankind’s free will.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes drifted past the Handler as they entered an atrium, and landed on a room he remembered all too well. He swallowed at the sight of the Briefcase Room and tensed as memories of his travels through time and space, and their respective murders, filled his mind. The Handler sent him a calming glance while Letitia watched him worriedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The briefcase is no longer part of your kit, Five,” The Handler reminded him. “Free your mind.” Her hand came up to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. “You’re management now. One of us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia couldn’t have restrained herself if she tried. The Handler pouted as she pulled her hand away from Five to see that three of her fingers had been dislocated. Five smothered his grin of pride and maintained an impassive facade as Letitia’s eyes shone with an unspoken threat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You both are quite possessive,” The Handler noted as she fixed her fingers with a loud pop. Neither of them said anything in response as she led them out of the room and up a flight of stairs. “Now, all the people on this floor are case managers, each one responsible for one major event at a time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They came to a stop in the doorway of a room where desks stretched out for what seemed like miles, each with a person sitting in front of a typewriter and working away at their particular event. Five’s eyes widened marginally while disgust swirled in Letitia’s stomach at the thought of these people controlling the entire world from behind a desk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So many of them,” Five breathed out. The Handler nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Impressive, isn’t it?” She inquired, pride tinting her voice as she stared out at the crowd. “Being part of something… so grand.” They lingered for only a second more before she turned away. “Come along.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five and Letitia turned and made their way after her, their eyes dancing over other rooms as they walked past them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Whenever someone chooses the wrong path and the timeline is changed, the Commission gets a report from field agents on the ground,” The Handler continued to explain. “These field reports are sorted and assigned to a case manager. They determine if anyone needs to be… removed from the equation to assure that their event happens as it should.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes widened as they arrived at a long stretch of a hallway filled with pneumatic tubes, as well as one elderly woman with a cart that contained multitudes of carriers, each with a little message inside. The tubes hissed as the woman deposited a carrier into different ones. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Based on that determination, the case manager sends instructions via pneumatic tube to temporal assassins like you formerly were, Number Five.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes narrowed. “Like how you wanted Letitia to be.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler sighed with palpable disappointment. “Yes, well, we can’t always get what we want,” She looked over at both of her new employees. “And besides, you two were too valuable to pass up, so it’s not a problem if you don’t become an assassin, Letitia.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then, what are my other options?” Letitia wondered aloud. “I’m not trying to be ungrateful, I just do not see where my powers would fit in the Commission in regards to what I’ve seen.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Five watched the Handler with narrowed eyes. “I have ideas. Any other queries?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five hummed. “Yeah. Who was the case manager handling me?” He asked coolly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler grinned at him. “Ah,” Her hand came up to brush against his face before pulling away at the sight of Letitia’s glare. “You mean the apocalypse.” Five didn’t say a word. “Come, I’ll introduce you two.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The walk was short, and before they knew it they were in a smaller room of case managers; all of whom were typing away with little to no reaction to their presence. Letitia took a moment to glance around the room as they came to a stop in front of a lovely looking woman in the second desk from the back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five, Letitia, meet Dot!” The Handler introduced. Dot jumped and smiled, waving excitedly at the newcomers while they barely reacted. “Dot is responsible for all apocalypse matters. In fact, it was Dot here who first flagged your appearance in 2019.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dot’s smile became one of pride, and it sent shivers of hatred into Letitia’s mind for the woman. How could one be happy about the end of the world? Especially when it was most likely the world she’d come from before working here. Five shared her emotions and fought back the desire to rip Dot apart. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No hard feelings,” She stated in her defense, the smile never leaving her face. The Handler looked back at Five and Letitia. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, you certainly put us through the ringer,” She admitted. “Outsmarting two of our so-called best temporal assassins,” Her gaze narrowed on Letitia, “Torturing them rather splendidly, if that doesn’t spell special or </span>
  <em>
    <span>leadership material</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Her last words echoed in a shout, causing other case managers to look over, “I just don’t know what does.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia and Five shared a look as the Handler walked through the gap between Dot’s desk and the one immediately in front of her, which was unoccupied. Her smile was still immaculately in place, and her hands folded in front of her against her dress. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I suspect you like a challenge, Five,” She continued before reaching out and pulling the chair away from the desk and tapping the back of it. “Which is why I’ve given you a particularly complex first case.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five watched her turn and grab a file while making his way over to his seat. The Handler turned back a moment later and handed him a red portfolio that he took and opened. She sighed as she watched him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s too bad Joseph Späh decided against sabotaging the fuel tank,” Her disappointed remark only made sense when Letitia caught sight of the photo of the Hindenburg blimp atop the papers in the file. “It would’ve been so much easier.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her smile returned, bright and wide as Five looked up at her with astonishment. Beside him, Letitia said nothing while her eyes scanned the inside of the file and the various documents that had been included. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Anyhoo,” Letitia looked up as the Handler’s voice cut across her thoughts. “If you have any questions, I’ll be right behind you with Letitia as we discuss her options.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five felt his muscles tense at the thought of his darling being anywhere other than beside him. Letitia could feel her heart rate speeding up and forced it to slow down, praying the slight glow of her fingertips wouldn’t give her away. The Handler watched their reactions with a smile that couldn’t have been more shark-like if she’d tried. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come along, dear,” She ordered while turning away. “This is going to be quite the discussion.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia took a shuddering breath, her hand pulling away from Five’s as she was forced to follow her. Before she left, however, Five tugged her into a quick hug and pressed a kiss to her cheek. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Be careful,” He murmured in her ear. Letitia nodded once before turning away and following the Handler, who placed a hand on the small of the blonde’s back in full view of Five’s gaze. He shuddered as murderous intent flared within himself, and with a great deal of effort took a seat at his desk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, back on Earth, most of the remaining Hargreeves children were collected together in a family meeting about the impending apocalypse, with Dave having tagged along as an honorary member of the family. The most notable exception, aside from Five and Letitia, was Vanya, of course, but that wasn’t to say she wasn’t at the house. In fact, it was during that meeting that she decided to drop by to visit her sister and introduce her to Leonard, her newest boyfriend who she’d met through teaching violin. It was only when she didn’t find them in the infirmary that she decided to take Leonard on an impromptu tour as they searched for her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, are you going to invite all of your siblings to the concert?” Leonard asked as he followed Vanya around the house. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya shook her head. “No, just Letitia and Five,” A sweet smile appeared on her face. “They’re my favorites, after all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard smiled back and looked away from Vanya to study the line of portraits decorating the wall they were walking beside. His eyes narrowed at the sight of yearly portraits of seven children, a number that decreased to six and then to five after a few of the paintings passed him by. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, which ones are they?” He asked while pausing in front of one with all seven members of the Umbrella Academy portrayed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya turned and joined him before pointing out young Five standing next to an even smaller Letitia. “Those two,” She pulled her hand away. “It’s strange looking at these now, they haven’t aged a day since they were done.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How come you’re not in any of them?” Leonard wondered, watching as Vanya flinched. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was always about the Umbrella Academy,” She explained. “I just didn’t make the cut, so there was no portrait for me.” A small smile appeared again. “Five and Letitia kept trying to sneak me into them, though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard raised an eyebrow. “Really?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya nodded. “I was small enough to hide behind Five, and Letitia was our dad’s least favorite so she would try to irritate him enough to distract him until the painting was done with me in it,” Her smile dropped. “It never worked though, and usually we’d all get punished. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t seem fair,” Leonard murmured. Vanya sighed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It rarely was in this house,” She agreed. “Come on, we need to find them before they run off and do something stupid.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that a common occurrence?” He inquired as they descended the staircase back down to the ground floor. Vanya nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re a team, and if Five’s gone off somewhere then Letitia won’t be far behind, injuries be damned,” She answered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the walk down to the parlor passed in silence, until new voices echoed through the air. Vanya frowned as she heard Allison, Diego, Luther, Klaus, and a voice she didn’t recognize all battling each other for dominance in a rather heated discussion. Her frown deepened as she and Leonard entered the parlor to reveal her siblings and a blond man standing around the bar at the other end of the room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” She called out, bringing the conversation to a sudden halt and submerging the room in silence. Her siblings all turned to face her, as well as the stranger. “What’s going on?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison looked between Vanya and Luther for a moment before replying. “It’s a family matter,” She stammered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya raised an eyebrow and scoffed. “A family matter,” She echoed. “So you couldn’t be bothered to include me,” Her eyes narrowed. “Or Five and Letitia for that matter.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re gone,” Klaus piped up. Vanya’s gaze snapped to his and her eyes widened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” She demanded. Her siblings all exchanged awkward glances, ones that even included Dave. “And who is that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus looked over at his lover and back at Vanya. “This is Dave, he’s my boyfriend.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya gaped at them. “So, Klaus’ boyfriend can be included, but your sister can’t be?” Her siblings had no response to that, causing her to shake her head. “Well, don’t let me interrupt.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait!” Allison called out while Vanya turned and began walking away. “I’ll fill you in later when we’re alone,” She promised as she walked over to intercept her sister. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, please,” Vanya begged as she turned back to her sister. “Don’t bother. And I won’t either,” Her eyes narrowed at the rest of her siblings. “I won’t bother with any of you ever again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison frowned, her brow arched condescendingly. “Vanya, that’s not fair.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya shook her head in amazement and chuckled mockingly. “Fair?” She repeated while looking back at Allison. “There’s nothing fair about being your sister. About being any sister of yours” She gestured at the others. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, and Five and Letitia are oh so different?” Luther snapped. Vanya glared at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, they really fucking are, Luther,” She snarled. “Because I have been left out of everything involving you four for as long as I can remember, but they tried their best to make it right.” They looked away at that comment while Dave watched her with confusion. “And I used to think it was Dad’s fault, but he’s dead.” She chuckled again. “So it turns out you’re the assholes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And with that, she turned on her heel and left with Leonard. Despite his company, though, she’d never felt so alone. Boyfriends can’t always make up for a missing family, after all. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey everyone! I'm just gonna start out by saying that this chapter was hard, very very hard, to write because I kept getting so sad over Dave and Klaus. However, I think their section turned out well and I was happy to get caught up on that particular arc. Please let me know your thoughts, though, it was a section I'd love some feedback on. </p><p>Now, on to Letitia and Five. I've got a number of ideas for what Letitia will be doing at the Commission, and I'll be narrowing them down in preparation for the next chapter, but I'd love to hear some of yours! Leave them in a comment if you're interested in any idea in particular. </p><p>Finally, Vanya's bit with the family was short but I think it still made it abundantly clear where her heart lies in terms of family. Can't wait to see how that pans out as the season progresses!!</p><p>Thank you again for reading, and please leave comments with your thoughts and ideas. I hope you all have a great day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. The Day That Wasn't (Part Two)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Handler is a massive creep, Five and Letitia are resourceful, and vital information is discovered.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Whatever unease Letitia had been feeling when she’d left Five at his new desk had only grown in the short, yet stressful, walk from there to the Handler’s office. Her racing heart had only sped up despite her powers, and she was sure her breathing was going to next if she didn’t figure out how to calm down anytime soon. The feeling of the Handler’s hand on the small of her back didn’t help either, come to think of it. Letitia shuddered as the hand pressed against her clothed skin and pushed her through the threshold to the Handler’s personal domain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Take a seat,” The Handler urged sweetly with a gesture at the chair in front of her desk while she shut the door to her office. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia didn’t say a word as she complied, nor did she look around at the room’s decorations. Instead, her gaze was locked on the ground as her entire body began to stiffen like the springs of a wind-up toy before it was released. She bit back a whimper as the Handler’s nails scraped up her back in what she assumed was meant to be a calming gesture. In reality, it was anything but. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler took a seat a moment later, her gaze boring holes into Letitia’s skull as she appraised the thin slip of a girl in front of her. She knew what Letitia looked like, of course she did. After following Number Five’s movements for years, it would be rather impossible to not know what his favorite looked like. A smirk appeared on her face as Letitia shivered, still avoiding her gaze. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not going to hurt you, I hope you know that,” She chimed. Her words were as false as her front four teeth, but she wasn’t going to admit that. “I’m just taking a moment to look at the one person Five is truly loyal to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Letitia wanted to tell her she was wrong, that Five did have loyalty to someone else. The member of their little family unit that everyone forgot. But the words wouldn’t come out. So, she continued staring at the floor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was so interesting,” The Handler continued. “He mentioned you many times when he went through his training. You,” She paused before her smirk grew to a smile. “Healed him in some ways, even when you were already dead and buried in his mind.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler’s gaze took several moments to wander over the silken locks of blonde hair that currently hid Letitia’s face from view before continuing down to the rest of her figure. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips while her fingers tensed with the effort of restraining themselves from reaching out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While her eyes were busy, the Handler set about the task of pouring two glasses of water from an ornate glass pitcher she kept on her desk in hopes of maintaining her restraint. Letitia peeked at the woman through her periphery at the sound of the water falling into the glass, and the Handler smiled wider in turn. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Here you go,” She murmured while pushing a glass towards her. “I’m sure you’re thirsty.” The Handler brought her own glass to her lips as Letitia hesitantly grabbed hers. “After all, I’m sure anyone who’d just gotten back from the Vietnam War would be thirsty.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>CRASH. Glass shards flew across the floor as water pooled on the pristine marble floor. Letitia’s fingers trembled as the Handler carefully hid her victorious smirk with a sip of water. There it was. A reaction. Something she could use. Something that made Letitia tic. The blonde looked down at the mess of glass and back up at the Handler before swallowing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry,” She mumbled. “I- I-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler set her glass down and leaned across her desk to pull Letitia’s hands in hers, and felt her eyes narrow when Letitia struggled to back away from her. Her fingers slid further down to take her wrists in a tight grasp while a sugary-sweet smile appeared on her face. Letitia’s eyes were wide, like a deer caught in the headlights, as she stared back at the Handler. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh honey,” She cooed, adjusting her grip to hold both of Letitia’s wrists in one hand while her other hand drifted up to brush against her right cheek. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. Are you alright?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia couldn’t form a coherent sentence in reply. Her senses were in overdrive as flashes of fire from bombs and napalm streaked across her vision, as the smell of blood and organs floated through her nose, as unbearable heat pressed in around her and the taste of her own sweat overwhelmed her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler’s hand drifted down from Letitia’s cheek to brush against the slender column of her neck. She shivered at the feeling of Letitia’s heartbeat pulsing and racing under the skin. “You poor thing,” She crooned sympathetically. “I bet you haven’t been able to get any treatment for your PTSD yet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bile was rising in Letitia’s throat, burning her esophagus with a vile acidic sting that only served to force tears into her eyes and saliva into her mouth. Her body shook wildly as it fought the damage her mind was wreaking upon it. Chills spread across her skin like wildfire as she bit back the urge to vomit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I'm sure you're also aching for a hit of morphine." Letitia whimpered. "Come on, dear,” The Handler moved around the desk to crouch next to Letitia. “Let it out. It’s okay,” She leaned in to whisper in Letitia’s ear. “You can trust me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was no stopping the flood anymore. In one fluid motion, Letitia leaned away from the Handler and promptly emptied her stomach onto the floor. The Handler watched silently, her hand moving to pull back Letitia’s hair with a barely audible yet delighted sigh. Her other hand tightened its grip on Letitia’s wrists as the blonde continued to gag and retch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Doesn’t that feel better?” The Handler’s voice echoed in Letitia’s ears. “Now, drink some water.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her hands shook as the Handler swapped which hand was pinning her wrists in place before grabbing the remaining glass of water and bringing it to her lips. Letitia’s eyes widened and she shook her head once, only to gasp as the Handler ripped her head back by her hair and poured the water into her open mouth. She squeezed her eyes shut as water splashed across her face while most of it dripped into her mouth, forcing her to splutter and cough. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What,” She swallowed and coughed. “Why did you-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You needed water,” The Handler murmured before pulling away, happy when Letitia didn’t move from her chair despite having been released. “And it brought you out of that little episode you had.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now, did you actually need some morphine?” The Handler asked, looking up at the blonde with an innocently curious expression.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes widened and her mouth went dry as the offer dangled in front of her like a dog treat in front of an excited labradoodle. Her fingers shook as she fought the itch, the desire to say yes, the utterly smothering craving for a relaxing high. Eventually, she shook her head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler leaned forward. “Are you sure? We have some in the infirmary I’d be happy to provide you with.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia didn’t know what to say in response and instead chose to ignore her offer. The Handler let out an almost silent sound of disappointment but didn’t push the issue further. Instead, she turned her words over to the subject of the position Letitia might hold in the Commission. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And so, while water dripped down her neck from her face, Letitia listened to the Handler in silence. As she continued speaking, Letitia wondered exactly what Five could have possibly done to upset the karmic balance enough to be saddled with this psycho for so long. It seemed like too harsh a fate for even the worst mass murderers in history. She shook her head for a moment to clear her thoughts before refocusing on the Handler. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now, the matter of your position in management,” The Handler pulled out a stack of papers from a drawer while someone else entered the room and began to clean the office floor. “Most of our positions rely on the ability to work with time and the ability to analyze it as well. Due to your close companionship with Number Five, am I right in assuming you have a decent grasp on these skills?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um…” Letitia swallowed again. “Yes. I understand the theories behind the Commission’s work and the function of the time continuum,” Her brow furrowed. “But I thought I was being brought on-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“For your manipulation of the human body?” The Handler finished. Letitia nodded slowly. “That was our initial hope for you, but seeing as there are very few positions that would utilize your skills in management I thought you’d like to hear about ones in a different field.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia frowned. “With all due respect, ma’am, I’m not sure I would fit very well into the Commission without being able to use my powers. I find I’m most useful when they’re involved.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was lying, of course. If anyone had ever believed that, it had been her father, but she also didn’t want to be in a situation she couldn’t manipulate with ease. So, she had very few qualms with telling this very minor lie. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler looked up and smiled widely. “Well, I am very glad you told me that,” She looked back down and rifled through the stacks of paper before pulling a piece out. “Because I thought of you immediately when I saw this.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She slid the paper across the desk to Letitia, who picked it up and scanned its contents quickly before meeting her gaze. “Head of Interrogation?” Letitia questioned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, you’ll be in charge of sending orders of who to apprehend in case the person we need to eliminate from any given scenario is more important to us alive than dead,” The Handler explained. “And then of course applying interrogation techniques to those individuals, as well as agents we suspect of betrayal and other similar crimes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes narrowed. “You want me to be your Resident Torturer.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler nodded once. “All in the name of maintaining the time continuum, of course,” She reminded the blonde. “But yes, if you’d like to be crass about it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And how will I go about sending these orders?” Letitia asked, her gaze moving away from the Handler and down to the paper in her hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ll put them through Gloria, who will send them via pneumatic tube just as she does for the orders to kill that we send the temporal assassins.” The Handler’s eyes never left Letitia as she watched the blonde mull over the decision. “Because of this, your office will be located on this floor for ease and efficiency while your actual business will be conducted on the floor below us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s gaze rose from the paper as she set it back on the Handler’s desk. “May I please see my workspace?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler couldn’t hold back the squeal of glee that escaped her at the blonde’s acceptance if she tried, and within seconds she had bounded around the desk and grabbed Letitia’s hand to lead her from the room. “Of course, I’ll give you a tour right now!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As they made their way out of the office and down the hall, Letitia’s eyes couldn’t help but wander. What they wandered over to gaze at didn’t matter much to her as long as it wasn’t the Handler, but she ended up getting quite the treat when they landed on Five working at his desk. As if feeling her gaze, his head snapped up and his eyes locked with hers. She flashed him the quickest smile as she was pulled further down the hall and out of sight, while he was forced to remain at his desk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s hands clenched into fists as he watched the last sliver of Letitia’s figure get pulled past the doorway by an overexcited Handler. All he had wanted to do when he caught sight of the woman’s hand dragging her by the wrist was to break every finger on that hand in multiple places, but it seemed it was not to be. Well, at least not this time around. Five shook his head and turned back to his work with a soft growl. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For a long while after that, all he could hear was the sound of typewriters, including his own, clacking and clicking away as reports were drawn up on case after case. His eyes were occupied with reading the case file on the Hindenburg explosion as he typed, and he couldn’t help but feel a little grateful for his ability to multitask. Within what he was sure was no time at all to the other case managers, he’d pinpointed the Commission’s next target and was now typing out the order. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course, that concentration was rather difficult to maintain when a cheery imbecile by the name of Dot decided that now was a good time to chat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hiya Five!” His eyes narrowed and he pointedly ignored her. “How’s it going?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five knew it wouldn’t go over well if he duct-taped her mouth shut, so he settled for the next best thing. “I must have utter silence in order to complete this task,” He demanded coldly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Satisfaction filled him as he pulled the completed order free from the typewriter and began rolling it up into the traditional cylinder that would be placed in the carrier. Dot, however, was less than satisfied with his dry and cold reply. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, okay,” She stammered disappointedly, her smile falling within seconds. However, Dot was nothing if not tenacious and somewhat pushy. Five bit back a groan as she leaned to the side in hopes of catching his attention. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, a few of us are having lunch, and I was wondering if you…” She trailed off as he continued ignoring her in favor of rolling his report up. “You’re doing something.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Indeed he was, Five agreed mentally as he plucked a carrier free from a drawer in his desk and placed his orders inside before standing. After a moment, during which he dusted himself off, he stormed off with tense muscles and eyes that darted around in hopes of spotting Letitia for even a second. As he left the room, he heard Dot calling out cheery goodbyes and in the back of his mind considered how painful it would be to burst his eardrums for the remainder of his time here. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was soon pulled from his thoughts, however, by his arrival at the Tube Room. With a soft hum to himself, he let his eyes drift over the long stretch of numbered tubes before coming to a stop in front of number 65. Five reached out and carefully lifted the opening to the tube, about to slot the carrier inside, when-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m afraid that’s not procedure,” The Handler chimed as she leaned over him to glimpse at the carrier. Five shuddered at her proximity, before freezing at the lack of a certain blonde’s presence. The Handler smiled and reached out to pluck the carrier from his hand. “Five, meet Gloria.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five looked over at the end of the hall to see the elderly woman from earlier making her way over to them with a worried expression. The Handler carefully curled her finger in a beckoning gesture, forcing Gloria to speed up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gloria is perhaps the most vital cog in our machine,” Gloria chuckled good-naturedly as she beamed at the Handler. “Gloria, meet Number Five.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The thin smile and glint in Gloria’s eyes as she turned to look at Five was more than a little unsettling, and he couldn’t help but want to jump away from the two women next to him. Unfortunately, there was no opportunity for such an action as the Handler carefully removed his order from the carrier and unrolled it to look down at it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look at you,” Gloria cooed, her eyes never leaving Five’s. “Deadly little thing. So happy we decided to close the contract on your life.” She took the carrier as the Handler passed it to her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m afraid your reputation precedes you,” The Handler explained apologetically while reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. “And it looks like you’re building on it here.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five didn’t say anything in reply as the Handler pulled her hand from his shoulder and looked back down at his orders and quirked an eyebrow at the words the paper contained. ‘Terminate Karl Weber’.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh…” The Handler hummed interestedly. “Karl Weber.” She looked back up at Five. “Now tell me, why unfortunate Karl?” She ordered while placing the order back into the carrier in Gloria’s hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Both women watched with intrigue as Five smiled tensely and began his explanation. “Karl Weber is the butcher at the shop where Captain Ernst A. Lehmann acquires his weekly roast. So, if Karl dies, his butcher shop is passed down to his son Otto, who never washes his hands which is disgusting.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler’s eyes widened. “So he’s the one who gives the captain his roast,” She murmured. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded. “And that gives him food poisoning-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Which makes him late for work,” The Handler continued. “Which delays the takeoff.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gloria looked between Five and the Handler in shock as she listened to the detailed sequence of events this simple murder would cause. She jumped as Five looked back over at her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And to make up for lost time, the Hindenburg flies through a weather front of high electrical charge and humidity,” Five resumed. The Handler’s grin shifted to the usual predatory one that appeared whenever she got a tad too excited. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And the static electricity inside the aircraft makes it a virtual tinderbox. Tiny engine sparks…” Her eyes roamed over Five’s smug expression hungrily. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And just like that, we have…” Five trailed off as he mimicked an explosion, much to Gloria’s shock and amazement while the Handler’s eyes gleamed with pride. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely marvelous work, Five,” The Handler praised. “Send over that directive, Gloria, and make sure that our new Head of Interrogation gets all the updated files on our temporal assassins as soon as possible.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five frowned. “Who’s the-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Head of Interrogation?” The Handler finished as Gloria went about her tasks. “Your </span>
  <em>
    <span>darling</span>
  </em>
  <span> Letitia had a proclivity for the interrogation methods we apply to those who need it, so we slotted her in as the head of the department.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t-” Five swallowed and forced the threat that had built in his throat down. He knew better than to outright challenge the Handler when he was separated from Letitia. “Would I be able to see her since I completed my case?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler hummed and shook her head no, the motion causing Five’s intestines to tie themselves into knots. “I don’t believe that’s a good idea,” She admitted. “Letitia needs time to get acclimated to her new office and equipment after all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When can I see her then?” Five demanded. The Handler carefully wound an arm around his shoulders and guided him out of the Tube Room as she thought it over. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps at the end of the day? Or maybe sooner. It depends on whether or not she gets any cases to handle today,” She explained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five didn’t say anything as they walked, knowing it really depending on the Handler's ever-changing mood, and kept his eyes peeled for anything that might indicate exactly </span>
  <em>
    <span>where</span>
  </em>
  <span> Letitia’s office or workplace would be. In fact, he was so preoccupied with this that he ended up being led back to his own workplace without noticing. The Handler grinned at the rest of the case managers as they entered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure you’ve all heard that Mr. Five has proven to be as adept with a pen as he was with a sword,” Five winced as he thought about his various duels over the years while he made his way over to his seat, “Let his effort serve as inspiration to you all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Across the aisle, a heavyset man who was short in stature glared at Five. In turn, Five said nothing and didn’t spare him a glance as he took his seat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Herb!” The man jumped and looked over at the Handler. “How long have you been on the Lusitania?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five plucked another file from a pie and began skimming through it as his mind raced while still attempting to decode the mystery of Letitia’s location. In the background, the Handler and Herb were having what he was sure was a rather humiliating encounter for Herb centering around his job performance. The conversation came to a halt, however, when the bell for lunch rang. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the case managers stood instantly and began making their way out of the room while Five remained at his desk, maintaining the facade of being interested in the file perfectly until the room was empty. Once the last case manager was gone, he slowly stood and turned to pull Dot’s file from her desk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now, where are you, Lettie?” He muttered as he exited the room and began shuffling down the hallway, as inconspicuous as possible with the apocalypse file tucked in his blazer. Around him, other employees made small talk with each other as they walked to their respective destinations. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you hear that Number Five is back?” A woman murmured. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Another woman nodded. “I heard the Handler finally got ahold of her favorite.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five stiffened at the description she’d given as a man gasped. “You mean-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Letitia Hargreeves?” The second woman finished. The man nodded. “Yeah, she’s the new Head of Interrogation.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow, that’s gotta be tough,” The man remarked. “Hopefully Gloria doesn’t talk her ear off like she did with the last one.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first woman nodded. “I swear, if my office was next to hers I would quit my job,” She admitted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A grin came to Five’s face as he discreetly turned around, his body taking him right back to where he’d just been perhaps five minutes prior. His eyes widened as he reached the Tube Room before they landed on a small sign just past the door reading ‘Head of Interrogation’. He felt himself burst forward in a sprint before appearing on the other side of the door in a flash of blue light. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia gasped and spun around, the fabric of her new blue skirt and blazer swirling around her as she turned to face Five. Her lips spread in a relieved smile as they sprinted across the office to wrap their arms around each other. Five’s grip tightened as Letitia pressed her face into his neck and took a deep breath. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” He whispered desperately. Letitia nodded against his skin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m better now that you’re here,” She admitted before pulling away. Five reached up and brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. “Did you finish up with the Hindenburg case?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded. “It was pretty trivial,” He pulled away to look down at her clothes. “You got a new wardrobe?”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letitia groaned. “The Handler put me in it,” She grumbled. Five scowled. “I don’t know how someone like her exists, especially given her… tendencies.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Fear blossomed in Five’s stomach as memories he’d not brought to Letitia’s attention rose to the surface. He took her face in his hands and stared into her eyes worriedly. “Did she hurt you?” He demanded. Letitia said nothing, and he could see red creeping into his vision. “What did she </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Knock knock. Letitia’s gaze snapped to the door as her eyes widened. “You need to go,” She whispered while prying Five’s hands away from her face. “Or hide, just go!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded and went over to a cabinet, his younger form easily fitting inside while Letitia went over to her office door and pulled it open to reveal Gloria. He listened carefully while his eyes focused on the two women from a gap in the doors. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have all of the files on our temporal assassins for you, Miss,” Gloria chirped while handing Letitia a massive stack of files, which the blonde took with ease. “You just take a look through there and bring me any orders if something doesn’t look right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia forced a fake smile on her face. “Thank you very much, Gloria, I’ll take a look at these after lunch,” She promised. Gloria nodded and gave her a very enthusiastic goodbye before the door shut once again. “You can come out now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The cabinet doors opened with ease, and Five slid out with a frown on his face. “What exactly is your job here?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A sigh escaped Letitia. “I have to find out if there’s anyone in the Commission, assassins usually, who might have changed loyalties, and,” She trailed off and swallowed. “Interrogate them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five blinked several times. “She wants you to torture people,” He summarized. Letitia nodded once and set the stack of files on her desk. “What else did she do, while you were in her office?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His lips pursed into a tight frown as silence echoed in response to his question while the fear inside him only grew. He moved to stand behind her as Letitia opened files and began sorting them in an attempt to distract herself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lettie,” He whispered in her ear. “Please, tell me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her hands slammed the file down on her desk with a loud smack. Five’s eyes widened with an even deeper worry as Letitia took deep breaths to calm herself. Her knuckles were white from her vice-like grip on the files, her breath was coming in shuddering gasps, and her body shook slightly while tears stung at her eyes. Finally, she wiped them away and turned to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She brought up Vietnam,” Letitia whispered. “And she… offered me morphine,” Five stiffened, “And she- she,” Bile rose in Letitia’s throat. “She wouldn’t stop touching me. She kept holding my hands, my wrists, touching my face and hair, it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>awful</span>
  </em>
  <span> Five.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s arms wrapped around her tightly and crushed her body against him as he forced himself to not turn and storm right out the door. He knew where the weak points were on the human body, he wouldn’t even need Letitia’s help to rip the Handler apart as he so desperately wanted to. Just enough strength applied to the right places, and she would be a goner. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want her to touch me again, Five,” She pleaded desperately. “And I don’t want to get addicted to morphine again, and-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You won’t,” Five swore. “I’ll never let that happen to you again, and I’ll show the Handler how to keep her hands to herself if she can’t figure out how to do it herself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the back of his mind, sensations of the Handler’s fingers brushing across his skin from many years ago slithered through his mind. The feeling of her breath against his ear as she whispered orders was vile enough to make milk curdle as it echoed through his thoughts. Five tightened his arms around Letitia in an attempt to restrain himself further. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re going to get out of here,” He vowed, his voice a low and deadly whisper as he spoke. “By the end of the day, we’ll be gone and we’ll know how to stop the apocalypse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia pulled away just enough to look up at him. “How?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two of them separated as Five reached inside his blazer to pull out the red folder he’d snatched from Dot’s desk. “With this,” He explained while opening it. “The entire file on the apocalypse as it is supposed to proceed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How did you-” Letitia gasped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dot is not terribly observant,” Five remarked as they set the file down on the desk. “Now, who is responsible for the end of the world?”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>They pored over the file as if they were using a fine-toothed comb, catching even the smallest of details if it was possible. However, they didn’t get any farther than the introduction when someone else knocked on the door to Letitia’s office. Five’s eyes widened and he quickly stowed the file in his blazer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go back to your workspace,” Letitia urged as the Handler’s voice echoed from the other side of the door. Terror filled both of them at the thought of her facing the dreaded woman.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Letitia? I was hoping you would join me for lunch,” She paused while Five kissed Letitia on the cheek before jumping away. “Letitia? We can even bring Number Five if you’d like.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sure!” The blonde cried out. “Just give me a moment to sort these files and then I’ll be all set. Do you mind if I meet you and Five in your office?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler was silent for a second. “Of course, dear, that’s not a problem at all,” She replied. A moment later, the sound of her footsteps receding from the door elicited a sigh of relief from Letitia. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” She took a deep and shuddering breath. “You’ll be fine. Five will be there, it’ll be just fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And that’s how Phil determined that the Archduke just had to go,” The Handler looked up from Five as the doors swung open to reveal Letitia. “Ah! Letitia, come take a seat! I was just telling Five about how one of our case managers incited the first World War.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hummed and forced herself to smile with false interest. “How exciting!” She slowly sunk into the chair beside Five as she spoke. “Sorry that I took so long, there are so many temporal assassins to sort through.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler leaned forward and stared at Letitia with open interest. “Any possible cases you’ll need to get through?” She wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five watched with a clenched jaw as Letitia shook her head and the Handler’s eyes traced the motion greedily. Red rimmed his vision the longer he watched the white-haired woman, and before he knew it he was tearing his gaze away to the floor before he did something they’d regret. Letitia reached out and took his hand in hers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, not yet ma’am,” She replied. “I only just sorted them into categories, though. Going through all of their files as they update and change will be the bigger part of figuring out who you need to bring in.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler hummed and took a sip of water. “Well, I’m sure something will come up at some point,” She pointed out. “There are always weeds to rip from the garden after all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded and reached out to take a small tea sandwich from the silver tray on the Handler’s desk. Her eyes narrowed as her fingers shook with the motion, and she wasn’t the only one who’d noticed. Five squeezed her hand gently while the Handler’s gaze locked on her hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure you don’t want anything to curb your… cravings?” The Handler questioned innocently. Letitia tensed and took a bite of her sandwich while Five’s knuckles cracked on the hand that wasn’t holding Letitia’s. “It’s really no trouble, and you won’t have any issues from the Commission if you do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s fine,” Five snapped. Letitia avoided the Handler’s gaze as she finished off the sandwich. “The withdrawal will pass easily enough, she just needs time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler raised an eyebrow. “I believe I asked Letitia, not you, Five,” She stated slowly. “Or do you control all of her decisions?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia yanked on Five’s hand as he moved to stand. “He does not,” She muttered coldly. “And I’m doing just fine, thank you, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm,” The Handler’s gaze flicked down to gaze at the rest of Letitia’s figure before she leaned back in her chair. “If you say so.” She turned slightly to address both of them. “Will you two be wanting dessert?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shook his head. “I had a bad Twinkie in the apocalypse once,” He offered as an explanation. “It kind of put me off desserts.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not in the mood for anything sweet,” Letitia added. “But thank you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A pout formed on the Handler’s lips. “Please, indulge me?” She pleaded before pushing a bowl of individually wrapped hard candies towards them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five and Letitia shared a glance before each plucking a candy from the bowl and unwrapping them. They were a soft golden color and seemed appetizing enough. With an apprehensive look towards the Handler, they popped the candies into their mouths. Letitia stiffened at the taste as well as the wide smile the Handler adopted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What does that taste like to you two?” She inquired. Five frowned and swirled the candy in his mouth a few times before responding. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The 1950’s?” He answered slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler’s smile grew while Letitia forced herself to swallow hers. “And what about you, dear?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The 1930’s,” She murmured before taking several sips of water in an attempt to wash out the overly sweet taste of caramel. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Precisely right! Our metaphysics division concocted a way to perfectly distill an entire decade into a candy,” She explained. “Five, yours was modeled after the Fudge Mutt, America’s favorite in 1955. And yours, Letitia, was modeled after the Sugar Babies. Caramel lollipops from 1935.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Remarkable,” Five remarked dryly while Letitia took several more sips of water. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler quickly lit and took a drag of her cigarette. “There was something else I wanted to show you, Five,” She leaned over to her intercom. “Carla? Will you please bring the box in?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Certainly!” Another woman replied happily. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A moment later, the door to the office opened and a brunette walked in with a large box which she placed on the Handler’s desk before walking out. Five and Letitia stood to appraise the box while the Handler walked around the desk to stand next to them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go ahead, open it,” She ordered. Five looked up at her and then back down at the box before pulling it open to reveal the male version of Letitia’s Commission-blue outfit. “Clothes make the man, Five. Besides, now you can match Letitia.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five was silent for several seconds before nodding once. “Thank you,” He muttered. “It’s a very kind gift.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia watched as he put the lid back on the box before he suddenly turned to point at the back wall of the Handler’s office, which contained a floor to ceiling display of a myriad of weapons. Her stomach tightened into a knot at the sight, and she quickly averted her eyes to where their hands were entwined. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that a Chinese flamethrower?” Five asked suddenly. The Handler looked over and nodded with a smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good eye!” She complimented. Five hummed and walked over to the display, Letitia trailing after him with the Handler bringing up the rear. “War. Such a fascinating concept. A temporary salve for a permanent human flaw.” She laughed softly to herself. “Of course, it’s a bit easier to see from thirty-thousand feet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not like being on the ground, though,” Letitia snapped before taking a deep breath. “Sorry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler flashed her a sickeningly sweet smile. “No need to apologize, darling.” Five’s hand clenched into a fist while the other pulled Letitia closer to his side. “These are just some of the things I’ve collected during my travels,” She continued as she turned back to her display while her hand reached out and plucked an object off a shelf. “Like these M26 grenades from the Vietnam War.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes flashed with flames and the sight of bloody corpses falling to the ground while her ears were deafened by the whistle of bombs and the crack of a gunshot. Five’s hand released hers to come up and rub her back, worry shining in his own eyes as he watched her mind lose itself to the memories. A moment later, she was jogged back to reality by the feeling of the Handler’s fingers brushing against her cheek. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She flinched away. “Sorry,” She took a deep breath. “Got lost in thought.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five glared at the Handler, who hummed in response. “Once again, no need to apologize,” She set the grenade down and reached over to pick something else up. “Now this, this is the most noteworthy, perhaps,” She held up a small gun with a look of pride. “My Walther pistol. The very one Hitler used to kill himself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A shiver ran up Letitia’s spine as the Handler extended her arm to reveal the pistol in all its glory, while Five schooled his expression into an impassive mask. “How did you get that?” He asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler’s smile turned sheepish. “Well, we’re not supposed to take these kinds of things, but… he wasn’t going to use it anymore, was he?” She sighed and set the pistol back on the shelf. “Besides, it isn’t hard to take something from a corpse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia blinked several times before taking a step away from Five and the Handler. “I think I’d better get back to my office,” She decided. “Lots of um… files to go through.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before either of them could say anything, she was gone. Her heart raced as she sprinted back to her office, the doors opened with a slam as she forced her way inside, closed just as loudly behind her, and her waste bin clattered as she bent over it and emptied the contents of her stomach into it. Tears filled her eyes as she gagged and retched before finally calming down and pulling away from the waste bin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fucking sadist,” She whispered while grabbing a tissue from her desk to wipe her mouth. “Jesus Christ.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For several moments, she sat beside her waste bin on the floor and forced herself to take deep and calming breaths. The cold marble beneath her clothed skin grounded her slowly, bringing her to a state of somewhat normalcy as she retreated away from the flashbacks. Letitia only moved when Five suddenly appeared in her office and fell to his knees beside her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re getting out of here, now,” He declared. Letitia’s eyes widened and she took his hands in hers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right now?” She echoed. Five nodded. “Okay, what’s the plan?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five pulled his hands away from her to retrieve the file once again. “I can’t figure out who’s supposed to cause the apocalypse from this alone, we need to intercept Dot when she gives the order to protect or kill someone in order to get it started.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia frowned. “And how are we supposed to do that?” She demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A cocky smirk formed on Five’s face. “Well, I’ve already decided I’m going to stop it, so I would guess Dot’s going to get an updated folder at any second now that’ll tell her exactly what to do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His smirk turned to a grin as Letitia beamed at him. “You’re the best, you know that?” She murmured. Five hummed and leaned in to kiss her, but she held up a hand. “I just threw up, that’s a bad idea.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yikes, yeah,” Five pulled her to her feet. “Wash your mouth out at the water fountain on the way, alright?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded and followed him as they exited her office, their eyes peeled for the slim figure of the Handler as they rounded corners and made their way down hallways. They only stopped once, so Letitia could rinse her mouth out, and then continued on until they were just outside the door to Five’s workspace. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s not here,” He realized. “Dot must have already gotten the file. Shit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jump to my office,” Letitia urged. “It’s right by the Tube Room.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s arm linked with hers and with a flash of blue they appeared just outside the office and carefully snuck into the other end of the Tube Room’s massive hallway. “There’s Dot,” He pointed out as the woman walked over to Gloria with a carrier.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you want me to take them out or do you want to do it?” Letitia whispered. Five looked at her worriedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you up to using your powers?” He murmured. “I don’t want to push you too far and-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia pressed her lips to his and smiled as Five leaned into the kiss before pulling away. “Haven’t you learned by now that I’d do anything for you, dear?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five grinned and kissed the tip of her nose. “Same goes for you, darling,” His gaze turned back to Dot and Gloria. “Knock them out, but nothing more.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A second later, both women crumpled to the floor. Five rushed forward immediately, pulling Letitia with him as he reached down and grabbed the carrier before prying it open. Letitia’s eyes remained on the doors while her hands emanated the slightest glow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stay focused,” She urged. “I’ve got the doors covered.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ve got too much covered, if you ask me,” Five muttered idly to himself as his eyes wandered over her outfit in his periphery. Letitia quirked an eyebrow in response. “I said nothing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh-huh, sure you didn’t,” Letitia grumbled teasingly. “What does the order say?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes narrowed as he unrolled the paper. “Protect Harold Jenkins,” He recited. “That’s who causes the apocalypse!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Great,” Letitia’s body relaxed slightly with that part out of the way. “Now what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She watched as he moved behind Gloria’s desk and began furiously typing out orders. “Now, we’re going to eliminate a couple of loose ends,” He explained before pulling two slips of paper out and grabbing two carriers. “And make things a hell of a lot easier for us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hummed happily. “I like the sound of that,” She admitted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two of them whirled around the sight of the Handler standing in the doorway, her pistol pointed right between Five’s eyes and a disappointed frown on her face. Letitia gulped as Five slowly moved around the desk to take her hand in his. The Handler’s eyes narrowed in a glare at the gesture. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You two…” She took a deep breath. “Just don’t know when to stop, do you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five snarled at her. “Never have, never will,” He snapped mockingly. “Especially not where my family is involved, Handler.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia paled as the Handler’s grip on her gun tightened. “Then I guess I’ll need to stop you myself,” She decided, her finger squeezing the trigger. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>SNAP. The Handler gasped as her forearm broke in half, a stretch of the bone stabbing through her flesh in a bloody mess. Five’s eyes widened and he quickly jumped, Letitia holding on tightly, to further down in the Tube Room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You… bitch!” The Handler shrieked as she turned to face them. “I gave you two everything, and this is how you repay me?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’d be happy to give you more!” Letitia shouted with a flick of her wrist, watching as the Handler’s shoulder dislocated next. Next to her, Five hurriedly shoved the two carriers he’d prepared into a tube. “But it seems like we’re resigning!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, the two of them disappeared in a flash of light and reappeared in the briefcase room. Letitia took deep breaths to steady herself as Five grabbed a briefcase before rejoining her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“One last stop,” He promised. Letitia nodded and winced as they jumped once again to a room she didn’t recognize, one covered in monitors and greatly reminiscent of a 1940s switchboard. “Now, time to find out exactly who Harold Jenkins is.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia watched as Five made his way over to a monitor and began flipping switches as twirling dials. “How come no one’s here?” She wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I jumped here and pulled a fire alarm before I came to get you,” He explained hurriedly as images flashed across the monitor. “They all evacuated, but forgot to turn this all off.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And how did you know where this was?” She asked while moving to look over his shoulder. Five smirked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“People will say a lot of things in hallway small talk, and I got quite an earful when we ran down to the Tube Room,” He reminded her. Letitia made an appreciative noise before leaning down and pressing a kiss to his neck. Five shivered. “Down girl.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hummed. “Make me,” She whispered. Five stiffened, but not from her words. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Harold Jenkins,” He breathed out while pointing at the monitor, where Leonard was being displayed beside a woman they knew very well. Letitia frowned and looked up before gasping. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And Vanya,” She noted. “How does Vanya know-” Vanya and Leonard shared a kiss on the monitor. “Holy fucking shit. Vanya has a boyfriend?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five groaned and committed the man’s face to memory before standing and grabbing Letitia’s hands to place them on the briefcase. In the background, he could hear footsteps racing toward them. “Not the time, darling, we need to get there and figure this out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded hurriedly, and with a click alongside a flash of blue they disappeared. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>They made it out!!! Yay! This chapter was a time and a half to write cause I've never written a character as creepy as the way I wrote the Handler in this, so it was a fun exercise. I did feel bad for doing that to Five and Letitia, though, they didn't deserve her treatment towards them. But hey, they made it out and with more information than last time!! This is going to lead to massive changes, and it will dramatically affect how the season's ending plays out. So, keep an eye out for future chapters if you want to see what I have planned!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. The Day That Was (Part One)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Letitia and Five return home, with slightly better timing, and family meetings remain a chore for the Hargreeves siblings.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“So, are you going to invite all of your siblings to the concert?” Leonard asked as he followed Vanya around the house. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya shook her head. “No, just Letitia and Five,” A sweet smile appeared on her face. “They’re my favorites, after all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard smiled back and looked away from Vanya to study the line of portraits decorating the wall they were walking beside. His eyes narrowed at the sight of yearly portraits of seven children, a number that decreased to six and then to five after a few of the paintings passed him by. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, which ones are they?” He asked while pausing in front of one with all seven members of the Umbrella Academy portrayed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p> <span>Vanya turned and joined him before pointing out young Five standing next to an even smaller Letitia. “Those two,” She pulled her hand away. “It’s strange looking at these now, they haven’t aged a day since they were done.”</span></p><p> </p><p> <span>“How come you’re not in any of them?” Leonard wondered, watching as Vanya flinched. </span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was always about the Umbrella Academy,” She explained. “I just didn’t make the cut, so there was no portrait for me.” A small smile appeared again. “Five and Letitia kept trying to sneak me into them, though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard raised an eyebrow. “Really?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya nodded. “I was small enough to hide behind Five, and Letitia was our dad’s least favorite so she would try to irritate him enough to distract him until the painting was done with me in it,” Her smile dropped. “It never worked though, and usually we’d all get punished. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t seem fair,” Leonard murmured. Vanya sighed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It rarely was in this house,” She agreed. “Come on, we need to find them before they run off and do something stupid.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that a common occurrence?” He inquired as they descended the staircase back down to the ground floor. Vanya nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re a team, and if Five’s gone off somewhere then Letitia won’t be far behind, injuries be damned,” She answered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the walk down to the parlor passed in silence, until new voices echoed through the air. Vanya frowned as she heard Allison, Diego, Luther, Klaus, and a voice she didn’t recognize all battling each other for dominance in a rather heated discussion. Her frown deepened as she and Leonard entered the parlor to reveal her siblings and a blond man standing around the bar at the other end of the room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” She called out, bringing the conversation to a sudden halt and submerging the room in silence. Her siblings all turned to face her, as well as the stranger. “What’s going on?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison looked between Vanya and Luther for a moment before replying. “It’s a family matter,” She stammered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya raised an eyebrow and scoffed. “A family matter,” She echoed. “So you couldn’t be bothered to include me,” Her eyes narrowed. “Or Five and Letitia for that matter.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re gone,” Klaus piped up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya’s gaze snapped to his and her eyes widened but before she could speak a flash of blue light enveloped their vision. A moment later, the glow subsided to reveal Letitia and Five with a briefcase between them and cocky grins on their faces as they glanced at their siblings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re home!” Letitia cheered before releasing the briefcase, which in turn slammed against Five’s leg. “Oh, God, I’m sorry, Five.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Speak of the Devil and he shall appear,” Allison muttered to herself before taking a sip of coffee. Luther nodded slowly in agreement while Vanya couldn’t help but beam at her two favorite siblings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine, darling,” Five grumbled as he set the briefcase down. “You’ll just have to kiss the bruise better.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s grin devolved into a smirk as she leaned in to whisper in his ear. “I’ll kiss more than that if you’re less grouchy, old man.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scoffed. “Who are you calling old?!” He demanded. “I’m only fifty-eight and that’s not old at-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Whatever words he was going to say after that were promptly cut off as Vanya threw her arms around him and Letitia tightly in a rather sudden group hug. Five stood there, stunned, for several seconds before bringing his arms up to hug her back while Letitia had returned the embrace instantly. A moment later, however, Vanya pulled away with a fearsome glare in her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t ever run off while one of you is injured, okay?!” She ordered while poking them both in the forehead. “I was really worried when I didn’t find you two in the infirmary.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smiled at her sheepishly. “Sorry about that, Vanya,” She mumbled while rubbing her forehead. “We just had some things we needed to take care of.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scowled and rubbed his forehead. “You should lay off the violin for a few days,” He advised. “It’ll make your fingers less bony and painful when you poke us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya rolled her eyes. “That would rather defeat the purpose, wouldn’t it?” She drawled in response. “Where’d you two even go?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think we’d all like the answer to that question,” Luther piped up from beside the bar, where Allison, Diego, Klaus, and Dave still remained. “Given the fact that you two up and left us with the briefcase and no instructions.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Speaking of,” Five’s eyes narrowed as he looked around the room. “Where is the other briefcase?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego scoffed. “Where do you think, smartass?” Five raised an eyebrow. “Hazel and Cha-Cha got it back, we had to throw it to get away without getting shot.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia clicked her tongue against her teeth. “Well, that’s unfortunate,” She pulled away from Five and Vanya to cross the room and dip behind the bar. “Have you gone through all of the liquor yet, or is there still some gin left?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bottom row, third from the left,” Klaus replied, watching Letitia carefully as she poured herself a glass of gin. “Where did you-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shh,” Letitia cut him off before taking a sip. “Ah, I needed that,” Her eyes drifted over to Five. “I think I prefer jumping with you than with that stupid bag.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five chuckled. “The feeling’s mutual, darling,” He called back. “Pour me a cognac, please?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia flashed him a thumbs up before a fidgeting figure caught her eyes. She looked up and felt a wide and feral grin spread across her face at the sight of her and Five’s newest target. Across the room, ‘Leonard Peabody’ watched the interactions between the siblings with interest and very poorly veiled discomfort. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, hello stranger,” She greeted while grabbing the bottle of cognac and pouring some into a glass. Leonard stiffened and he looked over to meet her gaze. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you around before.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes didn’t leave the man as she crossed the living room to pass Five his glass, which he took a sip of as he too stared at Leonard carefully. Between the two men, Vanya blushed and cleared her throat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah,” She turned and beckoned Leonard over, who shuffled slowly until he was standing just behind Vanya. “Letitia, Five, this is my boyfriend, Leonard.” She looked up at Leonard and gestured to her siblings. “Leonard, this is Five and Letitia.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two siblings raised their glasses in greeting. “Charmed, I’m sure,” Five murmured. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia rolled her eyes and extended her hand, which Leonard took and shook once before pulling away as if she’d burned him. “Lovely to meet you,” She lied. “It’s not every day that Vanya here brings home a boy to meet the family.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I haven’t met the-” Leonard started with a gesture towards the others. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She doesn’t mean them,” Klaus piped up with a gesture at Allison and Luther. “It’s pretty much everyone aside from those two, and Diego is still pretty low on the totem pole.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, Klaus,” Diego snapped. Leonard blinked and looked over at Letitia, who hadn’t taken her eyes off him yet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m afraid my brother Klaus is correct,” She agreed. “In my eyes, the only family you’ll really need to stay on the good side of is myself, Five, possibly Klaus, maybe Dave, and most likely not Diego.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t forget Ben!” Klaus added, earning the tiniest of flinches from Letitia before his face contorted with regret. “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking straight.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave shook his head and lightly cuffed Klaus upside the head. “I love you, but you’re an idiot sometimes,” He remarked. Klaus beamed up at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, babe, means a lot.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Speaking of family,” Five cut in, his gaze moving from Leonard to the cluster of people around the bar. “Is this some kind of family meeting going on, or what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison and Luther tensed before they both nodded. “We were discussing what you last told us, about the whole,” Luther made an awkward explosive motion. “Thing you warned me about.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And you decided to hold this without us, and I’m assuming without Vanya given how pissed she looked when we arrived, why?” Letitia piped up. “I believe the rule is that all the family should be present when family meetings occur.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then lover boy needs to leave,” Diego decided with a glare towards Leonard. “Unless he and Vanya had a Las Vegas wedding we don’t know about-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Like she’d ever tell you about that,” Five chimed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then he’s not a part of the family,” Diego finished. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya scowled. “Then how come Klaus’ boyfriend gets to stay?” She demanded. “If I can’t have Leonard, then-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dave stays,” Letitia answered. “There’s no debate, Dave fought through hell and back to be with Klaus, to come be a part of his family, so he’s staying.” Vanya started to protest, but Letitia reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Please, don’t fight me on this one.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes narrowed as a flash of fury flicked across Leonard’s eyes as his hands clenched into fists. He slowly moved over to Letitia and Vanya, his own hand tightening its grip on his glass of cognac as he watched the man carefully. A moment later, Vanya sighed and looked over her shoulder at Leonard. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll meet you at your place later?” She offered. Letitia frowned at Five’s tense expression and followed his gaze to Leonard just as he pulled a happy smile onto his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” He agreed. “Give me a call when you’re on your way?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya nodded. “Of course,” She pulled away from her siblings to hug him tightly. “Thank you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five relaxed as the man everyone knew to be Leonard pulled away from his sister and began making his way out of the house, but didn’t fully drop all of the tension until the door shut to signal his departure. He sighed and took another sip of cognac before grabbing Letitia’s hand and pulling her over to the bar, which they climbed up to sit on while the other siblings moved away. Vanya, however, plopped onto a barstool on Five’s other side and smiled up at him and Letitia, who flashed her quick smiles in return. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now,” Letitia snuggled into his side as he spoke, addressing the others now. “Let’s begin the </span>
  <em>
    <span>actual</span>
  </em>
  <span> family meeting.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Here, here,” Klaus cheered sleepily as he laid back against Dave on the nearby sofa. “What’s the first order of business?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave hummed and ran his fingers through Klaus’ hair. “How about the fact the world is going to end in…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Three days,” Letitia piped up. Five nodded in agreement. “We have three days to stop the apocalypse and save the entire human race.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, no,” Luther interjected. “First thing’s first is where the hell did you two go?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five and Letitia shared an exasperated look before they each took a sip of their drinks. “Didn’t you know?” A smirk appeared on Five’s lips. “It was Bring Your Girlfriend to Work Day at the Commission, and boy did we make the best of it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, what’s the Commission?” Allison queried. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia snickered softly. “It’s not fun being the one on the outside looking in, now, is it Allison?” She wondered mockingly, inciting a glower and sneer from her sister. “Yikes, empathy is not a good look on you. Maybe stick to being a terrible person.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t talk to her like that,” Luther snapped. Letitia cocked an eyebrow in response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You mean don’t acknowledge how she, and quite frankly almost all of you, have treated Vanya over the years?” She clarified. Luther opened his mouth to protest. “She’s had over thirty years of that bullshit, Allison can take the few seconds it takes for me to make those comments.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave raised his hand slowly. “Sorry, uh, question here.” Letitia gave him a thumbs up. “Why was Vanya excluded from everything? Is it seriously just because she doesn’t have powers?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The silence was suffocating as all of the siblings except for Five, Letitia and Vanya avoided his gaze. Well, Ben wasn’t avoiding it either but no one could see him aside from Klaus at that moment. Dave scoffed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s pretty shitty behavior,” He commented. Letitia snickered at his bluntness, especially when he continued despite their siblings’ immediate protests. “Look, it’s just like the Army. You don’t leave people behind just cause they’re not as ‘efficient’ or are ‘damaged’. You pick them up and drag them with you until everyone makes it out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kinda like what I did to you,” Klaus mumbled as he pressed a kiss to the back of Dave’s hand. Dave rolled his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You were mean to her too, so don’t try to play cute,” He admonished. “And once you’re sober, you’re going to apologize to your sister.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya’s eyes widened in shock while Letitia and Five looked on with growing respect for the blond soldier draped along their sofa with their brother atop him as well as respect for their brother himself. He had made many attempts over the years to get sober, but it seemed this time it was a genuine decision he would actually try to uphold. Klaus sighed and nodded once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” He agreed, perfectly sincere. He looked over at Vanya. “We’ll talk, once I’m sober?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Next to him, Ben’s eyes widened in shock at Klaus’ words before a smile broke out on his face. It had killed him when they were kids to see how Vanya was treated, especially after Five’s departure and his untimely death had left Vanya with only Letitia, who already had her own grief to cope with. There hadn’t been anyone to sit with her and listen to her play while Letitia trained, no one to tell her stories about missions because Letitia would pass out immediately after them from exhaustion. Now, however, it seemed like she was getting another confidant. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Vanya smiled at Klaus. “Sure,” She agreed tentatively before looking up at Dave. “And thank you, Dave.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The soldiers saluted her with almost identical grins before returning to their lazy reclining on the couch, with Ben beside them, unseen. Next to speak was Diego. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, great, touchy-feely time is over,” He snapped before pointing a knife at Five. “Explain what the fuck is going on right now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five sighed and took another sip of cognac. “The apocalypse is coming in three days,” He reiterated. “There is someone who is going to cause it, and orders were sent out by the Commission to Hazel and Cha-Cha to protect this person.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Weren’t Hazel and Cha-Cha the people that killed Mom? The assassins in the masks?” Vanya asked slowly. Letitia looked over at that with wide eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mom died?” She questioned, earning a slow nod from Vanya. Letitia looked away and finished off her gin. “Well, seems like I need to check in more often. But, yes, if the masked assassins were a pink bunny and a blue bear then they killed Mom.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, both of the women turned back to the ongoing discussion on the apocalypse that Five and Letitia had instigated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And do you know who this ‘person’ is?” Allison demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia grinned. “Of course we do,” She set her now empty glass on the bar, “We intercepted the order just before it was sent out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, who is he?” Luther asked harshly, his eyes narrowed and darting between Letitia and Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Vanya’s boyfriend</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Five wanted to say, but he knew better than that. His first three siblings were the ones that charged into missions headfirst, not considering the feelings of others in most of their actions. That would not do in this case, where, despite wanting to murder Leonard on sight, there was a more sentimental factor that needed to be taken into account. Vanya. He would do many terrible things, make no mistake, but hurting his baby sister and best friend was not one of them if he could avoid it. So, he would bide his time and find a way to solve this without hurting her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The upside was, Letitia seemed to have reached a similar understanding as she smiled sweetly at Luther and shook her head no. “We’ll not be sharing that with you,” She decided coolly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And why not?” Diego challenged. “Someone you don’t have the guts to kill?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scoffed. “It’s someone we can handle on our own, without any of you swanning in and fucking it up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, I need to backtrack here,” Dave piped up with a raised hand. Letitia looked over and nodded once. “What’s the Commission?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They were my former employer, and Letitia’s for a day,” Five began. “They monitor all of time and space to make sure that whatever is supposed to happen, happens. According to them, the apocalypse arrives in three days. So, Letitia and I took an offer to go to the Commission Headquarters and work there, which is how we intercepted the message containing the catalyst’s identity.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Any questions?” Letitia chirped as Luther, Diego and Allison stared at them with dumbfounded expressions while Dave held only the mildest hints of confusion. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, this Commission,” Dave started, “They make sure that the entire planet does what they want it to do so the future turns out a certain way? And that includes destroying the planet?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia and Five both nodded once. “Correct. It’s a massive operation made up of thousands of people, all micromanaging our future with one event at a time,” Five elaborated.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave let out a low whistle. “That’s… really fucking creepy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can say that again,” Klaus mumbled sleepily. Vanya nodded in agreement, taking it all in as best she could.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five,” All eyes snapped to Allison, “Do you realize how insane you sound?! This is ridiculous!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s hands tightened into fists as Five’s eyes narrowed in a glare. “You know what’s insane?” Five demanded as he slid off the bar to march over to her. “I look like a sixteen-year-old boy!” He turned and pointed at Letitia, “My girlfriend can break bodies and put them back together,” His finger moved to each of his siblings, “Klaus can speak to the dead and has a Vietnam vet for a boyfriend, Diego is a discounted Batman, you act like a Mean Girl to manipulate reality, and Luther thinks he’s fooling everybody with that overcoat!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was silence for several seconds as Five took a moment to compose himself and take a step back from Allison. “Everything about us is insane, it always has been.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s got a point there,” Klaus agreed. Five nodded once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We didn’t choose this life, we’re just living in it,” He continued. “For the next three days anyways.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wrong,” Letitia chimed as she slid off the bar and walked over to take his hand in hers. “We’ll have far longer than three days, cause we’re going to stop the apocalypse.” Five opened his mouth and she covered it with a finger. “First, though, we’re going to get something to eat. I haven’t kept anything down in a day and need food.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded slowly and looked over his shoulder at Vanya. “C’mon, it looks like we’re doing lunch,” He urged. Vanya chuckled and hopped off the barstool. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think you mean dinner,” She corrected. “It’s about five pm now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where are you guys going?” Luther demanded. “We need to figure the rest of this out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia rolled her eyes. “Not </span>
  <em>
    <span>we</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” She reminded him while gesturing between Five and herself. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Us</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Besides, we already have the information we need. Now we need some food.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, we need to find Dad’s research,” Luther’s eyes were narrowed and his hands were clenched into fists. “I still think this has something to do with why he sent me to the moon.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five opened his mouth to respond, but Letitia beat him to the punch. “Luther, Dad sent you to the moon because he made a mistake that didn’t work out in his favor,” She snapped. “A mistake he didn’t want to own up to. Take our father off that fucking pedestal you’ve built and do something for yourself that isn’t being an idiotic ass for once.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, she turned on her heel and walked out to the foyer, her arms linked with Vanya and Five’s while their siblings shouted out protests behind them. As they pushed the front doors open and made their way out of the house, however, they heard someone catching up to them and turned to see Diego, Klaus, and Dave. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you all hungry too?” Vanya wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego scoffed. “No, I’m going to go hunt down Hazel and Cha-Cha. They’ve got things to answer for.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia let a fond chuckle escape her. “Good luck, discount Batman,” She teased, earning an eye roll from Diego. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah, try not to get captured again, okay?” He urged. Five watched curiously as Diego leaned in and gently patted the top of Letitia’s head. “We don’t always get along, but I don’t really want you to get hurt again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five hummed at his first real glimpse at this side of Diego, the side that had looked out for Letitia despite the fact they had never been that close. The side of him that saw her as an actual sibling, if not a friend that he wanted to keep safe. He allowed himself to stare at Diego’s expression as Letitia replied, the slight softness in his gaze and the smallest of smiles pulling at the corner of his lips. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll do my best,” Letitia promised. Diego nodded in response before taking off, leaving Klaus and Dave standing in front of the trio. “And what are you two up to?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re going to look for a rehab,” Klaus explained. Letitia’s eyes widened. “We’re not checking in until after the apocalypse is prevented, obviously, but Dave thought it would be a good idea to plan it out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave smiled sheepishly, his hand rubbing the back of his neck as Five, Letitia and Vanya turned their gazes to him. His eyes widened, however, when Five extended his hand. He looked down at it and back up at Five before reaching out and shaking it firmly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Five stated sincerely. Dave nodded once, too shocked to speak, and released Five’s hand as Letitia came over and hugged him once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re a good man,” She complimented before winking at Klaus. “He’s a keeper, brother-mine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus blushed and nodded while Letitia released Dave and rejoined Five and Vanya. “We’ll see you around?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five and Letitia nodded before turning and walking away, with Letitia between Five and Vanya as they made their way down the massive and crowded streets of New York. As they walked, Vanya wondered how to bring up the concert. She knew they’d be proud of her, for getting the first chair and for just performing where she did, but now there was an apocalypse to worry about. Would they even be able to come? Should she even bring it up? These were the thoughts that swirled in her mind, even when she ordered food at the small cafe they decided to stop at. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya?” She jumped at the sound of Five calling out her name and looked across the table at where Five and Letitia sat, leaning against each other in the booth. “Are you alright?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She smiled. “Yeah, yeah, I was just thinking about work.” Vanya looked between the two of them. “Do you have a plan? For the apocalypse?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia returned the smile. “Of course we do,” She vowed. “We’re going to do exactly what’s needed to stop it and keep our family safe, I promise. Nothing is going to separate us again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now, tell us about work,” Five urged. “And how you met Leonard.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was slightly manipulative, he knew that, to ask about Vanya’s work as a leading subject before getting to the topic of her apocalypse-inducing lover, but he also was genuinely curious. He’d not been able to speak to Vanya much since returning, and most of it had been him talking at her as he had when they were children before a certain blonde informed him it was rather rude to do that. So, just like he’d changed his habits as a child, he would do so now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya blushed a deep red and looked between the two of them. “Do you really want to hear about that?” Her siblings nodded excitedly. She took a deep breath. “Okay. Well, I got first chair in the orchestra, so I’ll be performing as a soloist at our concert in three days.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s jaw dropped. “Vanya, that’s amazing!” She cheered. Five nodded in agreement, a smile of pride blooming on his face. “Can we still get tickets, to come see you play?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She could hardly believe it. An apocalypse was on the way, the world could end and there was someone out there who would cause it, and they actually wanted to come see her in concert. Vanya blinked as tears stung at her eyes and she quickly reached up to brush them away, as her lips broke out into a smile. She reached into her pocket and pulled out two strips of thick paper with the Icarus Theater emblazoned on them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I already reserved two in your name,” She explained as she handed them over to Letitia, who took them with a wide smile on her face before showing them to Five. “I didn’t know if you’d want to come because of the apocalypse-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll be there,” Five promised. “An apocalypse is nothing compared to your debut as a soloist, after all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded in agreement. “You’ve been working towards this your whole life, Vanya,” She reminded her sister. “And now you’ve finally done it. You’ve made something tangible after years of hard work,” She shared a look with Five, “That’s more than most of our siblings have done in their lives.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded as well and took a sip of his coffee. “You should be incredibly proud of yourself, Vanya,” He stated. “Letitia and I are, immensely so, and I know Ben would be too if he was here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And just like that, the tears were back. She and Ben were the quieter ones and had always had a bond that came so easily and allowed them to be quite close compared to when they were with some of their other siblings. Their mutual love for literature had fuelled it, and he’d loved listening to her play when he was reading or doing homework, and when he’d died it had left a hole in Vanya she wasn’t sure would ever heal. But, she knew he was watching over her. She could just tell he was. Vanya brushed the tears away once more and took a bite of her coffee cake. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” She murmured weakly. Letitia and Five brushed her off with smiles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No need to thank us for being your family,” Five replied with a smirk. “Now, tell us about that Leonard fellow. How’d you two meet?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya set her fork down and picked up her glass of water, taking a sip before replying. “He actually signed up to be one of my students,” She began. “He was pretty bad at first, but he’s a fast learner.” A blush darkened her cheeks. “Eventually, we started getting coffee, talking about rehearsals.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five struggled not to tighten his grip on the mug of coffee in front of him. Harold Jenkins was good with Vanya, too good. He watched as Vanya’s eyes glimmered with adoration for her lover while Letitia stiffened beside him with her own worry. Five forced himself to breathe slowly and refocus on Vanya’s words. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I feel like he sees me,” Vanya admitted. “Like he sees this unlimited, untapped potential that only I have and that he wants me to succeed. He’s got my back, and I couldn’t be happier to have him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This was bad. Letitia could tell this wasn’t a coincidence, that Harold Jenkins hadn’t suddenly appeared in Vanya’s life without cause. While it wasn’t obvious to her sister, Letitia could see as plain as day how Harold was feeding the part of Vanya that desperately needed support and affection. How Harold had planted a small seed of dependence in her heart toward him, one he would nurture until she lost herself in him and his </span>
  <em>
    <span>love</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But, Letitia didn’t want to break her sister’s heart without a plan to make it as easy as possible. She wouldn’t say anything without proof, without finding out why the man who was supposed to cause the apocalypse had ended up with her sister. So, she smiled sweetly and reached across the table to take Vanya’s hands in hers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m so happy for you,” She lied, the words so simple yet so wrong. Vanya returned the smile and squeezed her hands quickly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m happy too,” She confessed. “And I almost feel like it’s a dream sometimes because of it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five didn’t say a word in response, didn’t tell her that it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> a dream. Or, rather a nightmare that hadn’t reached its climax yet. He would wait until the time was right, when the threat was about to be eliminated and Vanya had lost her attachment to Harold Jenkins. He was good at waiting, after all. His eyes flicked to Letitia in his periphery. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Very good</span>
  </em>
  <span> at waiting.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone!! I don't really have too many notes for this chapter, except that the next chapter is going to be more split between Five and Letitia planning and Vanya going away with Leonard. Otherwise, I just hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a comment with your thoughts, and have a good day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. The Day That Was (Part Two)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>VERY LONG LEMON AHEAD. Backstory on Harold Jenkins and time at the cabin as well.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Letitia sighed as she and Five materialized in her room, having just said goodbye to Vanya outside the cafe. The room was mostly as they had left it the last time they’d been in there, almost a year ago for Letitia and mere days ago for Five. Letitia blinked as she looked it over. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’d almost forgotten what it looked like,” She mumbled absently. Five watched as she shook her head, dismissing her thoughts about the room. “We need to figure out what to do about Jenkins. If we leave him with Vanya any more-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’ll make everything harder,” Five finished. Letitia nodded. “We could always take him hostage, or fake a robbery-gone-wrong.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shook her head. “Vanya’s going to his lake house tomorrow, she’ll most likely be there and we don’t have the time to find someone else to do it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five frowned. “You make a good point,” He reached up and rubbed a hand down his face. “Get dressed into something more comfortable,” He advised. “We need to follow him, see what he’s up to and get a better idea of what to do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are we following them to the lake house?” She asked in return. Five nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I don’t like the thought of Vanya being there alone, especially with him,” He explained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hummed in agreement and reached up and peeled off her blue blazer while kicking off the one-inch red heels the Handler had shoved her into while Five took a seat on the edge of her bed. The blazer fell to the floor, allowing her hands to move to her white button-up. She froze after undoing the first two buttons, however, when Five’s hands covered hers and pulled them away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want to do that,” He murmured, his own slender fingers releasing her hands to snake up to her collar where they paused. “Please?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She swallowed and nodded. “Yes,” She whispered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five hummed and began undoing each button at an excruciating pace, the feeling of her soft skin under his fingertips whenever he grazed it between one button and the next absolutely sublime. Suddenly, Letitia tensed and her arms came up to cover herself as the shirt fell open to reveal her scar in its entirety. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It had never faded completely, not with Reginald suppressing her powers to stitch it closed and force it to heal naturally. Instead, she was left with a raised line down her middle, pink in color and thick beneath her touch. Five bit back the possessive growl that built in his throat at both the sight of the scar and her covering herself, and instead gently caressed her upper arms with his fingers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shivered as Five leaned in and pressed a kiss to her neck, and then another, and then another, working his way up to her face. Her body trembled under his touch, the heat from his fingers and the tenderness of his kisses sending her mind spinning. She blinked up at him as he stared down at her, his fingers gently coaxing her arms away from her chest to bare her torso to him completely. A moment later, he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, forcing her eyes shut alongside his own. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re beautiful,” He swore. “You always have been,” Another kiss, “You always will be,” Another kiss, “And nothing will change that, especially not a scar.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five,” She breathed out in between kisses, the feeling of his slightly chapped lips against hers causing her mind to go blank. Tears blossomed in her eyes from his words, from the devotion displayed within them. She blinked them away. “Five…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A guttural moan escaped Five as one of her hands moved up to tangle in his hair while the other rested on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. “Lettie,” He growled. His fingers danced up her arms to her shoulders before slowly making their way downward. “My Lettie…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yours,” She agreed immediately, gasping as his hands settled over her clothed breasts. “Five…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His fingers were methodical in their movements, years of exploring her body working in his favor as he gently tugged at her nipples over the fabric and elicited a moan in turn. Letitia’s breath came in short gasps as Five rolled her nipples between his fingers before moving to her back, where the clasp of her bra awaited him. A moment later, the tell tale snap of the clasp coming undone echoed in the room and the garment dropped a few inches away from her breasts. Five reached back up and slowly pulled her bra off completely. Letitia shivered as cold air bit at her exposed flesh, and hissed with delight when Five’s warm hands cupped her breasts. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re perfect,” He crooned in her ear, one of his hands moving from her breast to press into the small of her back. “Perfect and all mine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia pressed her face into the crook of his neck as his hand found the zipper of her skirt and pulled it down, forcing the skirt, as well as her panties, down her legs until they pooled around her feet on the floor. She hummed happily as Five’s hand moved up from her hip, fingernails grazing the soft flesh of her back, until it tangled in her hair and pulled back so he could stare down at her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There’s no way I deserve you,” Five murmured, his voice low as his gaze drifted across her features. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was still thin, still had slight hollows in her cheeks and a sharpness to her jaw she’d never had before. But, her eyes were back. The happy, warm and shining eyes he’d fallen in love with since before he could even remember. Five swallowed and leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. Then, his hands hooked under her thighs and he hoisted her up, warmth blooming inside him as Letitia’s arms wrapped around him as well as her legs. They were silent as Five turned and set her down on the bed, looking up at him, and just savored the feeling of each other’s touch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smiled up at him as he continued staring at her, and her hand came up to cup his cheek as she whispered, “You deserve the world, dearest.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five took a deep and shuddering breath before leaning down to nuzzle against her neck. “You’re my whole world, my beginning and end,” Each sweet nothing was punctuated by a kiss to the pale skin of her neck, “my darling, my Lettie.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then you deserve me,” She breathed out, a soft moan escaping her as Five’s kisses turned more insistent at her words. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Soon, they were full of nips and sucks that painted her skin with delicate splotches of pink, red and burgundy and sent shivers down her spine. Letitia gasped sharply as Five’s tongue laved against the patch of skin just behind her ear and caused her hips to raise to his. A growl ripped from Five’s throat as his clothed erection ground into her bare cunt and elicited a whine of pleasure in response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re mine,” He vowed. “You’ve always been mine.”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded hastily as Five continued his kisses back down her neck to her collarbone, which was soon dotted with a myriad of colors to match her neck. “Always,” She agreed breathily. “Yours.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five groaned at her promise and braced himself on one arm as his free hand moved back to her right breast to lightly trace the outside of her nipple. Letitia gasped and arched into his touch, begging for more with a language more seductive than any spoken one. He pressed a kiss to her sternum, just above her scar, while his fingers gently flicked at her nipple and sent her spinning with a moan of pleasure. His lips curved into a smirk against her skin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So responsive,” He remarked, his voice still low and full of repressed desire. “I wonder what other sounds you’ll make before I’m done with you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought,” Another moan as Five rolled her nipple between his fingers. “I thought you knew them all by heart,” She teased. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five slowly drew his fingers away from her breast and earned a whine of disappointment from the blonde beneath him, “I’m always open to a refresher,” He admitted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia opened her mouth to reply, but whatever she might have said became distorted by cries of ecstasy as Five’s lips closed around her sensitive nipple. Her hands flew forward to tangle themselves in his hair, but he was faster than her. Within a second, her hands were pinned to the bed as his free hand held her wrists together. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tsk tsk tsk,” Five bit her nipple lightly. “This is my time to play,” He reminded her. “You’ll have your turn soon.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He barely registered the flash of a challenge in Letitia’s eyes before he found himself being flipped over to lay below her with her legs straddling him and her dripping cunt grinding against him while arousal clouded her eyes. Five’s jaw dropped open slightly, his grip on her wrists going slack as she leaned down to capture his lips with hers. Her hair tumbled down around them, forming a curtain that hid them from the rest of the world and its distractions. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Someone’s being defiant today,” Five whispered, his hands coming up to knead her breasts as he spoke. Letitia moaned and ran her fingers through his hair before moving to undo his shirt buttons. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Very</span>
  </em>
  <span> defiant.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You enjoy it,” She hissed in his ear before licking the shell of it and sending a shiver down his spine. “And you can always take me over your knee for it later.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five groaned and abandoned her breasts to grip her hips and guide her so that his cock could rub against her through his shorts. “Don’t tempt me,” He growled. “Or I’ll spank you right here and then fuck you from behind.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t you?” Letitia’s breath was hot against his ears. Five’s eyes widened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was goading him on. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted </span>
  </em>
  <span>him to spank her, to ruin her with pleasure. She was begging him to take control in a different way. Five’s eyes shut as his blood pounded in his ears while fantasies streaked across his vision. In the back of his mind, a pesky voice told him they needed to find Harold Jenkins, but the very primal voice in the front of his mind had one repeating train of thought: fuck her until she came apart on his cock while screaming his name. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, in one fluid motion, Five’s hands moved from her hips to her waist and promptly turned her as he sat up, draping her naked figure across his thighs with ease. Letitia yelped as he did so, the sound music to his ears as he pulled her hands behind her and pinned them to her back with one hand. Five shivered and let his free hand roam over her bare ass before dipping down to her cunt, where she was already slick, warm and waiting. Letitia whimpered and wiggled her hips, causing Five to grin and pull his hand back to her ass. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re topping from the bottom again, </span>
  <em>
    <span>darling,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> His voice was almost unrecognizable with the amount of arousal coating it. Five’s cock twitched as Letitia rubbed her thighs together in a bid for more friction. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>SMACK. Letitia gasped as Five’s hand swatted her ass, the burn and sting something she’d not felt in years and didn’t realize she’d missed so much. Her thighs pressed together even further, but it did nothing against the ache building in her dripping pussy. She bit her lip as Five’s cock twitched against her stomach through his shorts and let out a moan as Five gently massaged the now barely pink skin of her ass. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And I think you need to know who’s in charge,” Five growled, his fingers moving to just barely brush against her clit. His body shivered as Letitia moaned loudly and her hips fought to roll against her hand. SMACK. “None of that. I’ll give you what you want when I want to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time Five’s spanking came to an end, Letitia was sure she was going to rip his clothes to shreds if she didn’t get any release soon. She could feel her thighs being coated as her arousal flowed freely from her cunt, urged on by Five’s smallest touches to her clit and the harsh sting of each smack to her ass. A hiss escaped her as Five reached down and cupped her pussy, the heat of his hand almost unbearably pleasurably. She wiggled desperately. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, please,” She begged, her hips trying their best to roll against his hand. “Please, I need to…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five leaned over to whisper in her ear. “Don’t worry, darling. I’m going to take care of you,” He promised. Letitia let out a needy whine as Five carefully pulled her into his arms before positioning her on her hands and knees on the bed. “God, you’re perfect.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His fingers traced patterns on her back as he quickly pulled off the rest of his clothes, his erection bobbing freely as he pulled off his boxers and shorts. Soon enough, he was back behind her and reached down with his fingers to brush against Letitia’s clit, a shiver passing through his body when Letitia let out a wail of need and pleasure. A moment later, the whine transformed into moans as Five began circling her clit with his index and middle finger. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five,” She cried out, her arms trembling as she attempted to hold herself up. “Five, please…!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shhh, shh,” Five crooned as his fingers abandoned her clit to gently push at the opening of her cunt. “You’re soaked, Lettie,” He pushed in to the first knuckle. “God, and so tight.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Soon, his fingers were working her over the edge as he plunged them inside her, curling and rubbing against her walls without mercy as she let out a myriad of moans and expletives in response. Letitia’s hips rolled against him in time with his movements, her cunt sucked his fingers deeper as she sprinted towards her peak, drenching his hand with arousal as her cries raised in pitch. Five leaned closer, his cock twitched with each cry that spilled from her lips, and his fingers danced along her skin until they reached her breast. Letitia lurched forward, her weight braced on only her forearms, and cried out as Five’s fingers suddenly pressed against that spot that made her see stars while his free hand kneaded her breast. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five, Five,” She chanted desperately as her orgasm quickly approached. “Fuck, Five, please!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five groaned as he watched her cunt twitch and squeeze around his fingers as they pumped in and out of her, sending her mind on a spin the longer he drew out her pleasure. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore and sped up. “Cum for me, Lettie,” He ordered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia screamed as her mind went blank and her vision went white with golden sunbursts streaking across it, incomprehensible pleasure crashing over her body and setting every nerve alight as her body shook. Five’s fingers never slowed, though, and merely continued thrusting into her cunt as she rode out her orgasm until she felt lightheaded while her vision cleared. She gasped for air as Five slowly removed his fingers and moved to hover just above her before pressing a kiss to her back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My darling,” He murmured against her skin. “My Lettie.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For a short while, Five was content to simply run his hands along her skin as Letitia caught her breath. To trace the pattern of love bites he’d bestowed upon her neck and collarbone she’d not be able to hide without a turtleneck. To lightly run his fingers up and down her vivisection scar, to memorize her new self as it was now. To run his fingers through her long blonde tresses, to brush back the tendrils that were pressed against her face. To follow the rise of her breasts, down the dip of her waist, over the curve of her hips where he gently squeezed before leaning down to whisper in her ear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you want more?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He knew he exhausted her sometimes, took great pride in it in fact, but he would never push her past what she felt she was up to. After all, he might have been exploring her body and its reactions since they were thirteen, but she’d been in her body for more than thirty-three years now. Five watched as Letitia rolled onto her back to look up at him with flushed cheeks, glazed eyes, and a smile he’d give anything in the world to see forever. He smiled back when she reached up and placed a hand on his cheek. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Her voice was raspy, but it didn’t take away from the effect it had on him. Five leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She almost always wanted more, especially with Five. It had been a fact of life since she’d been old enough to know that Five was hers and she was his. First she’d been his friend, the only one he’d actively seek out for company. Then she’d become his best friend, above anyone else he’d ever befriend. After that, she became his first crush. Then his first kiss. His lover, his darling, his everything. She was his and he was hers. And they always wanted more of each other. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five easily maneuvered her back onto her hands and knees, the motion sending a delightful wave of trembling over Letitia’s body. Anticipation coiled in her core as she awaited boundless pleasure that only Five had ever given her. His long and slender fingers traced patterns up her thighs until they reached her cunt, where they brushed against her clit once before pulling away. Letitia whimpered a moment later as Five pressed the tip of his cock against her slit, her hips moved back in an attempt to pull him inside her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, Five,” She breathed out, her anticipation growing and twisting within her as the familiar need she felt with him built once more. “Please…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A gasp escaped her as Five began to push inside, his cock stretching and filling her in a way only he could. They moaned at the sensation while Five’s hands moved to wrap around her hips and pull her against him, a louder moan escaping him as he bottomed out in her pussy. Letitia could barely breathe as he pulsated inside her. She felt hot all over, her body was trembling from head to toe.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“God, you’re so tight,” Five muttered as his grip tightened around her hips. Letitia whimpered as Five pulled out till only the tip was inside her. “Lettie…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia moaned as Five suddenly plunged back inside her, setting a fast and hard pace that sent her rocking back and forth on the bed. Her breath came in breathy moans and yelps as one of Five’s hands wandered amidst his thrusts to tease at her nipple before diving down to rub at her clit as he drove his cock in and out of her pussy. Soon enough, her moans devolved into nonsensical cries of his name mixed with expletives and whimpers as he pounded her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five… fuck…” Letitia’s vision was blurred with tears of ecstasy as he continued rubbing her clit in firm circles in time with his thrusts. “Five…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re so beautiful,” Five crooned as he continued fucking her into oblivion. “So perfect.” He leaned down so he was pressed against her back, his arm bracing his weight. “And you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>mine</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five could barely think straight as he fucked Letitia, as he felt her walls fluttering and clenching around him. His thoughts had devolved to a primal mantra that always thrummed in the back of his mind, one that consumed his very being as he brought his darling closer to her second orgasm. </span>
  <b>
    <em>Fuck her take her mine mine mine all mine my Lettie fuck mine mine mine</em>
  </b>
  <b>. </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, he gasped as Letitia’s walls tightened impossibly around his cock. His ears rang with the sound of her screaming his name as her arms gave out from under her. His eyes drank in the sight of her shaking underneath him as she came all over him, coating him in her arousal and milking his cock as she pulled him deeper. His fingers pulled away from her clit and moved back to her hips as he leaned back far enough to speed up his thrusts. Finally, with a burst of white across his vision, a shout of her name, and a flood of red-hot ecstasy in his veins, he spilled into Letitia and filled her with his cum. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Afterward, the room plunged into an almost-silence filled with the sound of their labored breathing and the sound of Five sinking down onto her mattress and pulling Letitia up against him with her back pressed against his chest. His fingers didn’t stop moving across her skin, didn’t stop drinking in the feeling of her beneath him. He couldn’t stop himself from burying his nose in her hair and greedily inhaling the scent of his darling. Five’s legs wound between hers while Letitia snuggled up against him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They spent the rest of the night this way, content to follow Jenkins around in the morning before he left with Vanya. They were allowed to be a little selfish, weren’t they?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next morning, Harold Jenkins was in quite a foul mood when he awoke, and it was all because of the previously unknown variables of Five and Letitia. He hadn’t seen a glimpse of their relationship with Vanya in Reginald’s journal, only the description of their powers and their training records. Thus, he’d been woefully unprepared for how much Vanya </span>
  <em>
    <span>adored </span>
  </em>
  <span>the two of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The sight of her eyes wide with happiness when Letitia and Five Hargreeves had alarmed him. He had picked her for her vulnerability, her detachment from her family, her bitterness over how she’d been treated. These two threw a wrench in that line of thinking faster than he’d been able to comprehend in the moment. They had her attachment, she held no bitterness towards them. He could have coped with that, they weren't the majority of the family, after all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>However, the way she complied with them, the way she trusted them, set his blood on fire with fury. Vanya had put up the smallest fight he’d ever seen in response to her family sending him away from the house. It had only taken a few words from the blonde bitch and she’d agreed. She had even gone out to dinner with them as opposed to coming to his place immediately after the meeting, and then refused to tell him what they’d discussed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If it weren’t for his ultimate goal, he’d have beaten Vanya to death right there on the living room floor. Just like he did to his shithead father. Jenkins shivered with the memory of the day he’d murdered the bastard. It had been the same day he’d tried to join the Umbrella Academy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>&lt;&gt;</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harold watched with wide eyes as the car containing the Monocle and his precious Umbrella Academy pulled up to the curb. His eyes could just barely make out seven people in the car aside from Reginald Hargreeves himself through the tinted windows. He leaned forward in an attempt to get a better look. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first to exit was Reginald Hargreeves, much to the crowd’s enjoyment. He was soon followed by Number One, the tallest and by far most popular of the boys that Reginald had adopted. The cheering grew in volume. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Spaceboy! He’s my favorite!” A girl shrieked as she jumped up and down with a sign in her arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harold slowly picked up the large green suitcase beside him and pulled it up and over the barrier before setting it down. Number Two, the Kraken, exited next and flashed what Harold assumed was supposed to be a charming smile. Then came Number Three, the Rumor. The darling of the press, she flashed blinding smiles and waved at the crowd as she exited the car. Boys cheered avidly in response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He froze as the last four exited at once, with three boys forming a triangle around a petite figure with waist-length blonde hair. Harold knew who they were, of course. Number Five, the Boy, whose hand rested on the shoulder of the blonde while he pointedly ignored the rest of the crowd. On the blonde’s other side was Number Four, the Seance, who looked far too relaxed and gave a lazy smile and wave to the crowd. And then, behind them all was Number Six, the Horror, whose eyes darted around the crowd nervously while he remained as close to the blonde as possible. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s the Marionette!” A man shouted as the blonde, Number Eight, came into view, her lips pursed in a fine line and her gaze firmly set in front of her while one of her hands rested atop Number Five’s on her shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harold swallowed as he watched all of the children begin to walk forward, and, just before they passed him completely, he leaped over the barrier and reached out and took hold of the Rumor’s arm. She gasped and turned, her arm pulling away from his desperately. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me!” Harold smiled, his eyes covered by the handcrafted domino mask he’d made for that day. “I’m your biggest fan!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes widened and he yelped as a hand suddenly locked around his arm and pulled him away from the Rumor, who sped off toward the gate with a grimace of disgust. Harold looked up at the partially covered face of Spaceboy, and froze at the anger on his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, hey,” Luther pulled Harold back as his siblings continued on. “You’re not supposed to be here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harold began to protest, but the Monocle cut him off. “Get back behind the barricade!” He ordered as he walked over, grabbing the Marionette along the way. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blonde followed him with ease, her eyes narrowed behind the mask covering them. Her brothers stopped, watching the exchange worriedly and with no small amount of protectiveness. Harold swallowed and pulled his arm away from Spaceboy, who let him go at the sight of his father and sister approaching. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s just,” He stammered as he looked up at the stern face of Reginald Hargreeves. ‘“I was born on the same day as the Academy kids.” Hargreeves’ face pinched with bewilderment. “I think I’m like them! I must be!” He faltered as the Monocle said nothing. “I haven’t quite figured out what my power is… yet. But, maybe with your help, we can find out-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Reginald Hargreeves crouched slightly to meet the boy’s gaze. His eyes were cold and lifeless, a chilling blue that struck a hint of fear into Harold’s heart. “You have no power,” He informed him, his voice low and deadly with how little emotion it contained. “You never will have power. Now, go home.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harold blinked, his eyes filling with tears as his insides turned to ice at the man’s cruel words. He looked over at the girl beside the Monocle, but she said nothing in his defense. She stared at him silently, as if awaiting orders. His eyes flicked back to Reginald. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, please! Just… I…” His voice stuttered as he struggled to fight back, to fight for an opportunity to become a part of the Academy. “You have to let me stay, I came all this way. Please don’t make me go back!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Monocle straightened and moved his hand from the Marionette’s shoulder to the top of her back. Harold watched as he stared down at him with an amused sort of condescension. “A little word of advice, my boy. Not everyone in this world can be powerful. Chasing something unattainable is a recipe for a lifetime of disappointment and resentment,” He pulled away to stand slightly behind the Marionette. “Now, get off my property or I shall have to evict you by force.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harold stammered as his gaze moved between the Monocle and the Marionette, whose hands had begun to glow a pale yellow. He took a single step back, desperation building in his chest. Before he could plead his case further, however, a hand gripped the fabric of his vest and pulled him away from the Monocle and the Marionette. He looked up at the face of the Boy, who avoided his gaze as he shoved him away and forced him to fall on the sidewalk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, thank you Number Five,” The Monocle praised disinterestedly as the Boy walked over to the Marionette and led her back to their siblings. Harold watched with wide and tearful eyes as Reginald walked behind them to the gates of the Academy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Around him, the crowd burst into mocking laughter and pointed at him as if he were an animal in the zoo. The gates closed behind the Monocle and his Umbrella Academy with a metallic clang, locking Harold Jenkins out of the world he belonged in. He watched as the Marionette, Letitia, looked back over her shoulder for a moment before the door closed, expressionless and disinterested. Then, the final barrier closed and Harold was left alone on the sidewalk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>From there, a seed of bitterness bloomed in Harold Jenkins. It was always there, eating away at his soul and only growing hungrier whenever he looked at his Umbrella Academy paraphernalia, when stories of their missions appeared on the news, any time he even heard the words “Umbrella Academy”. And, as he stared down at the collection of figurines that day, of which he had all except Hargreeves, he vowed revenge. He didn’t know how he’d get it yet, but he knew he would. Eventually. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Harold!” He was jolted from his thoughts by the sound of his father shouting from downstairs. “Get your ass down here!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He descended the staircase in seconds and stood before his father with terror blooming in his stomach and a roaring hatred for the man burning in his heart. His eyes were wide behind his makeshift domino mask, his skin was cold with a nervous sweat under his Umbrella Academy costume. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His father’s eyes narrowed. “What’s that shit on your face?” He demanded. Harold didn’t say a word, knowing better by now. His father reached up and pulled the mask off of him before looking between it and him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>CRACK. Harold fell to the wooden floor for what would be the last of many times in his life. His cheek stung from the slap as his father walked away and took a seat in his recliner. His lip was red and bleeding from the split at the right corner of his mouth. The mask fell to the floor with a soft clatter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Make yourself useful and go get me another beer,” His father ordered with an absent gesture at the kitchen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harold ran to the kitchen, remembering the sting of a belt when he’d gone too slowly in the past. It wasn’t fast enough for his father, though. It never was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hurry up!” His father screamed from the living room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harold trembled as he opened the fridge while slipping his mask back onto his face. He paused, though, when his eyes landed on a mallet on the countertop. His eyes widened as another way to get away from his father presented itself. He didn’t need the Umbrella Academy to get away. He just needed enough force in the right spot. Then he’d get what he wanted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The mallet was heavy in his hands as he walked out to the living room as silently as he could. The heavier an object was though, the more force it would carry at any given speed. So, when Harold swung it down and into his father’s skull, he was unsurprised at the spray of blood and the sound of bone crunching beneath the tool. He hit his father again. And again. And again. Eventually, he lost count. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>&lt;&gt;</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That memory circled his mind as he prepared for his little getaway with Vanya, and the memory was so intense in doing so that he didn’t notice the woman in a black turtleneck and jeans following him. He didn’t even register the random flashes of blue light in his periphery. Instead, he focused on the feeling of blood spraying against his face and clothes. The sound of bone crunching with each blow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Leonard?” He jumped slightly and looked over at Vanya as she sat in the passenger seat of his car. “Are you okay?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A smile formed on his lips. “I’m perfect,” He lied while taking her hand in his. Leonard looked back out at the road and smiled at the sight of the house. “We’re here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They parked quickly enough and climbed the path to the cabin with ease. Leonard opened the door for Vanya and watched as she walked in with her violin in hand and an amazed look on her face. He closed the door as she looked around. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, wow,” She breathed out. “This place is so nice! Whose is it again?” She asked as she set her case and traveling bag on the floor beside a chair. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard smiled and made a gesture around the room. “This is grandma’s place,” He explained. “Lots of pinched cheeks right…” He pointed at the sofa. “Here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya laughed softly, but her smile died as Leonard crossed the room to the mantlepiece and stared at a framed photo of a man and a boy, his father and himself, standing with fishing rods and a tackle box. She walked up behind him and looked between him and the photo concernedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure you’re okay?” She whispered gently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard let out a soft breath before replying. “You spend your whole life trying to forget about all the crap you went through as a kid, you know?” He murmured. “And then, the second you step back in, you feel just as insignificant.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Vanya sighed. “I know.” She was silent for several moments. “You know, we don’t have to stay here. We can just-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” Leonard cut her off with a smile. “It’s perfect for what we need to do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Outside the house, crouching in the bushes below an open window, Letitia’s eyes widened with alarm. Next to her, Five’s eyes narrowed as a protective fury welled up inside him. They had missed something. At some point, they had missed something between Vanya and Leonard. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are they trying to do?” Letitia wondered in a whisper. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five covered her mouth as Vanya replied, her voice slightly muffled from where they were. Letitia rolled her eyes, but complied and stopped talking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Which is what, exactly?” She questioned. Leonard laughed, a chilling sound that sent shivers up Letitia’s spine. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We need to find out what you’re truly capable of!” Five’s brows furrowed with confusion. “What your powers can do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s jaw dropped open and he wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the man’s words. Vanya, have powers? One of the very few truths he had known as a child was that Vanya was ordinary, that she didn’t have powers. He looked over at Letitia, who was similarly flabbergasted, before tuning back into the conversation between Leonard and Vanya. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Remember what you said the day we met? Practice makes perfect,” Leonard reminded her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, this is a little different from chord progressions,” Vanya snapped. “I mean if I do… Look, I can’t even say it. I can’t even wrap my head around it. There’s-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya,” Leonard interjected. “You’ve spent your entire life feeling less than your brothers and sisters, only to discover you’ve had this in you the entire time. You owe it to yourself to discover what that really means. Okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was silence for a long time, during which Letitia and Five struggled to wrap their minds around this possibly false revelation. Sensing the conversation was over, the two of them retreated into the woods, both of them picking their brains for anything that might be indicative of Vanya having powers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lettie, if Vanya had powers we would’ve known,” Five tried. “She would’ve been part of the Academy, she would have a tattoo, she wouldn’t have been excluded.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shook her head. “I know, I know,” She agreed. “But, if something happened that planted this idea that she does have powers into their heads then we need to figure out what it was.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We can’t leave though,” Five reminded her. “Jenkins is too much of a risk, even if we discount him causing the apocalypse. The best we can do is hang around and interfere if we have to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He walked over and pulled Letitia into a hug, tucking her face in the crook of his neck. She sighed in response and wrapped her arms around him tightly, worry still coursing through her veins all the while. When they parted, it was to the sound of the door of the cabin opening. Five and Letitia separated and carefully moved closer to the house as Leonard and Vanya exited. Five grabbed Letitia’s hand, preparing to jump and follow them if he had to. He paused, however, when they stopped and took a seat on the porch together. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re going to be here for a while,” Letitia commented. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And they were. By the time Vanya and Leonard next left the house, it was nightfall and Five had been forced to jump twice to get himself and Letitia coffee to keep them going. Five’s eyes narrowed as he watched Vanya and Leonard walk down to the large lake by the cabin, and Letitia followed him through the dark treeline to get a better look of the couple as they walked out onto the dock. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s see what Jenkins has planned,” Letitia muttered as she and Five climbed up into a tree for a better vantage point while also remaining in earshot. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five leaned against the trunk of the tree as he sat on a branch, Letitia on the one above him in case she fell. “He’s an idiot,” He remarked. “Even if by some random coincidence Vanya has powers, he’s not going to be able to train her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re right about that,” Letitia agreed. “If Daddy-dearest never found these ‘powers’ and got them to bend to his will, this slimeball has no chance.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They silenced as Vanya stopped at the edge of the dock, with Leonard a few feet behind her. “Look, I just,” She took a deep breath. “I don’t think I can do this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know you can,” Leonard murmured. “Vanya, you’ve seen what people with power can do. They can stand up for those who can’t defend themselves.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, that’s idealistic at best and moronic at worst,” Five muttered, earning a soft chuckle from Letitia. Vanya, however, scowled at Leonard and turned to face him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, and at what cost?” She demanded. “I watched everything my brothers and sisters could do ruin their lives, and everything my father did to them to make sure they were perfect little soldiers.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard scoffed. “They’re full of holier-than-thou bullshit,” He reminded her. “Just like you said. That’s what ruined their lives, not their powers. And that’s not going to happen to you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How do you know?” She wondered. “What if I do have powers and they kill me? What if I hurt you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia tensed at the fear, images of Ben’s corpse flooding into her mind at Vanya’s words. The gaping hole in his torso from where the Horror cannibalized itself before taking as much of Ben as it could with it. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the tree branch but relaxed as Five’s hands covered hers. Letitia looked over to see him sitting next to her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re not losing anyone else,” He promised, just knowing where her mind had gone. “Don’t even think about that happening, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five smiled as Letitia took a deep breath and nodded. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her temple before turning his attention back to Jenkins and Vanya on the dock. They had gone closer to the edge and were staring at a boat in the center of the lake. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just try to move the boat,” Leonard instructed. Both of Vanya’s siblings scoffed at the task, remembering how staged their own training had been and how this idiot had completely bypassed that concept. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya stared at the boat, shining in the darkness from the lamp on the stern, and attempted to focus on it before worry took hold of her mind. “Is anything happening?” She asked softly, just barely audible over the croaks of the frogs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just keep trying,” Leonard advised. Vanya turned back to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But I don’t-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard shook his head and took a step forward, causing her siblings to tense from their place in the tree. “Think about how you want the boat to move.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A groan escaped Vanya. “Okay, but what? Do I- Do I stare really hard? Am I supposed to point my fingers? Is…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Leonard interjected with a frustrated expression, sending her siblings even further on edge. “There’s only one way to figure it out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scoffed and looked over at Letitia. “This guy is so full of shit,” He spat. “Do you remember how long it took for us to figure out how to trigger our powers? I thought Klaus would never learn his ABCs with how long we spent getting tested as toddlers.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia allowed herself a small smile at the memory. “We already knew he was full of shit, though,” She pointed out. “Now we just need to find a way to show Vanya that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“One of us needs to stay behind when they leave the house,” Five decided. “See what this asshole is hiding, what makes him believe any of this is possible.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, it’s gotta be me,” Letitia stated, earning a frown from Five. “I can’t teleport and I don’t have a car, there’s no way I can tail them as effectively as you could.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five sighed and watched as Leonard and Vanya began walking away from the dock, saying something about dinner out. “Well, it looks like we’re about to get a chance now,” He stated.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They climbed down from the tree and followed their sister to the cabin in almost complete silence, watching as she and Leonard made their way over to the car before pausing and looking at each other. Letitia took a deep breath and hugged him tightly, an embrace that Five returned just as tight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stay safe,” She ordered. Five nodded. “And come right back here if anything happens.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded again before taking off as Leonard started the car and began pulling out of the driveway. Letitia watched, still hidden in the woods, until the lights of the car were well and truly dimmed by how far the car was. Then, with a sigh, she walked over to the house and climbed in through an open window with ease, her eyes scanning over the cabin and taking everything in exactly as their father had taught them to for missions: with extreme attention to detail. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tidy,” Her words came in whispered mutterings as she milled about the house. “Unused, untouched for a while.” Her eyes glanced over the pictures. “Definitely a family home, so bad relationships with family members to explain the lack of use.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a long while spent searching, Letitia moved from the living room to the kitchen, and then the bathrooms, finding nothing over the course of an hour. Her lips pursed with frustration as she walked back down the hall toward the bedrooms. The guest rooms, of which there were two, had nothing inside which left only the master to be searched. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia entered it with caution, noting that both Leonard and Vanya’s belongings were in the same room. Her nose wrinkled as the thought of her sister sleeping with the man infiltrated her mind, thoughts she banished with a quick shudder as she knelt beside Leonard’s bag. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s see what you’re hiding, Harold Jenkins,” She whispered while undoing zippers and buckles on the bag. “And how much more I’ll want you dead.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At the top of the bag were mostly necessities. Clothes and toiletries were worthless, though, so Letitia tossed them to the side as she dug deeper into the bag. There were a few books, ones she didn’t recognize, that were also tossed haphazardly onto the floor. A frustrated growl escaped her the closer she drew to the bottom, only to be choked off as her eyes landed on a book she knew </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her fingers shook as she reached in and pulled out their father’s journal, a red one with his initials embossed onto the cover in gold. Of course, it was less a journal and more a miniaturized anthology of the training, the abuse, and the sheer hell Reginald had put all of the children through in pursuit of strengthening their powers. Each of the children had a section, with some longer than others depending on complexity and difficulty in their training or powers. However, the contents of the journal were not what concerned Letitia at that moment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How the hell did he get this?” She spat, glaring down at the journal in her hands as well as Jenkins’ other belongings. “And why does he think that Van-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes widened and she quickly opened the journal, flipping through the pages as quickly as she could. Her father had kept this journal since they were infants, if there was anything that Five or her couldn’t remember to indicate Vanya having powers then it would be here. She tried to ignore the sections on Klaus, Five, and Ben as she flew through the pages, having no desire to remember what Reginald had done to them in particular. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her motions suddenly froze as she stared at a page just behind the last page of Ben’s section. She blinked at the title at the top of the page, written in their father’s iconic spidery scrawl. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Number Seven. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia felt nausea building as she looked further down the page. Number Seven, with powers over sound waves. Her hands shook as she read the notes. Number Seven, afflicted with explosive temper tantrums. Tears filled in her eyes as she flipped a page. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya,” She whispered, heartbroken for her sister as she continued reading. “Oh, Vanya.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her father claimed she was dangerous. Claimed she was uncontrollable. Useless to him and to the Academy. Fury replaced her nausea as she reached the detailed description of Vanya’s medication, the sedation their father had forced on her. Her hands clenched into fists, as she reached the last page of Vanya’s entry. At the lie she’d been fed alongside all her other siblings. She fought the urge to rip the pages to shreds. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lettie!” Her head snapped up from the journal at the sound of Five’s voice. She stood immediately and ran out to the living room, where Five stood drenched to the bone and looking terrified. His eyes landed on the journal in her hand and looked back up at her face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya has powers,” They stated in unison. The truth was undeniable now. Letitia moved to stand right in front of him and passed him the journal. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dad knew,” She explained with ice-cold fury in her voice. “He had us all forget about it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five snatched the journal and skimmed through Vanya’s entry, his eyes wide for a moment before they narrowed into slits. The journal shut with a snap before Five stowed it in his sweater vest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya injured some men tonight,” He stated, his eyes avoiding Letitia’s own. “Defending Jenkins. She has no control over the powers.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded once. “What’s the plan?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five sighed and ran his hands through his hands. “We need to kill Jenkins,” He decided. “Kill him and then figure out how to help Vanya.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked up as Letitia grabbed his hands in hers. “Where do we start?” She asked, a sweet yet feral smile appearing as she spoke. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone!</p><p>First things first, yes I know that lemon was LOOOONG. But, I wanted to write something fun and letting them go at it was something I think they needed after all this stress and the fact they're both technically teenagers since Lettie's body is aging INCREDIBLY slowly. Anyways, moving on to more of the plot.</p><p>I decided to name Letitia the Marionette as her 'superhero name' in the flashback scene with Jenkins cause she controls the human body kinda like a puppet but she's also Reginald's puppet as long as she's in the Academy. We love a good double entendre. Hope you enjoyed some of the family dynamics you see in that scene, I wanted to make it clear how divided they were. </p><p>Now, I know in the show Vanya finds the journal at Leonard's house but that never made sense to me because that journal is so valuable for Leonard that he wouldn't just leave it at home. With that in mind, I had him bring it along because it's also the only guide he has of Vanya's powers and would need it so he could try and actually train her on his own. </p><p>Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and if you could leave a comment with thoughts, questions or concerns that would be amazing! Have a great day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. I Heard A Rumor (Part One)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Vanya tries to get ahold of Letitia and Five after Leonard gets hurt, Allison reminisces, Five and Letitia do some digging and make a lot of connections.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Vanya had never liked hospitals. They were cold, sterile, full of injuries, and altogether too much of a reminder of the Academy. But, she was in one anyway because her own loved one was there. Leonard. </p><p> </p><p>Her hands came up to cover her face as she held back tears for what must have been the twentieth time since they’d arrived at the hospital, one of them bleeding profusely and the other covered in blood. Vanya shuddered at the memory of the men who’d been outside the diner, the men who had hurt her Leonard so terribly. Her heart clenched as she remembered exactly how she’d protected Leonard. </p><p> </p><p>She had powers. There was no denying it anymore after that spectacle, no matter how much she might want to. And she did, she really did. In that moment, she wanted to pretend she was still ordinary, that she was still Vanya because then things wouldn’t have to change. But, there was still that little piece of her that was elated. It was the same part that still craved to be included. </p><p> </p><p>Her hands shook as they pulled away from her face and reached for her phone. She needed to call Letitia and Five, they would be able to help her deal with all of this. It felt like a betrayal to undermine Leonard’s help that way, but he was still in surgery. He had left her alone, and she needed her family. Vanya dialed the number of the Academy, a number she’d kept memorized over the years for the brief calls she’d have with Letitia whenever she was doing particularly badly. </p><p> </p><p>The phone rang once, twice, three times before someone answered. Vanya took a deep breath. “Letitia? Five?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s Allison, actually,” Her sister replied. “Letitia and Five haven’t been in the house all day. What’s going on, Vanya?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, um, can you just let them know that I’m at St. Elizabeth’s, the hospital? And for them to come as soon as possible?” Vanya pleaded. </p><p> </p><p>On the other end, Allison’s eyes widened. “What happened? Vanya, are you okay?”</p><p> </p><p>Vanya pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s not me, it’s Leonard. He was attacked, and I just need someone to come sit with me while he’s in surgery,” She explained. “So, please let Five and Letitia know that I’d like them to come as soon as possible.”</p><p> </p><p>“Vanya, they’re probably off solving the apocalypse,” Allison reminded her. “I’ll drive up though, and I’ll stay with you until everything gets resolved, okay?”</p><p> </p><p>“Allison, you don’t have to-”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m on my way.” </p><p> </p><p>The line clicked, and Vanya was left with the knowledge that a woman who was yet wasn’t her sister was on her way. And, as Allison climbed into her late father’s car and pulled up the location of the hospital on her phone, she wondered why she was doing this. It wasn’t like she and Vanya were terribly close, or that their little meet-ups over the last couple of days had repaired their relationship drastically. She didn’t think about it too much, though, and instead pulled out of the garage and began the drive up to St. Elizabeth’s. </p><p> </p><p>As she drove, with wind and rain beating down on the car’s windows in a loud patter that filled her ears more pleasantly than the deafening silence, her thoughts continued to wander to her relationship with Vanya. Then, they moved on to her tenuous and or nonexistent relationships with all of her other siblings aside from Luther. Finally, with a shot of pain in her heart, her thoughts landed on Claire. </p><p> </p><p>It had been over a week since she’d last spoken to her daughter, and even longer since she’d last seen her due to the rather strict custody arrangements the courts had granted her ex-husband, Patrick. Her knuckles turned white as the rules to the arrangement ran through her head on a painful loop. She could see Claire once a month, pending she had attended four sessions with her court-mandated psychiatrist before visiting. She could speak to Claire over the phone whenever Patrick allowed it, and the conversation had to be monitored by her ex-husband. Claire was not allowed to spend the night in her home. Claire was not allowed to be alone in her company. </p><p> </p><p>Tears bloomed as the thoughts grew louder, and her hand came up to brush them away while the little demon in the back of her mind, the Rumor, reminded her exactly why her life was this way. Why her little girl was growing up without her Mommy. Why her ex-husband still had control, even after their marriage had long since died. She couldn’t have stopped her mind from drifting to one particular night, even if she’d tried her hardest. </p><p> </p><p>&lt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>“This one?” Allison held up a storybook to her daughter, watching as she shook her head no. She smiled and set it aside to hold up another one. “This one?” Claire shook her head again. “This one?” She tried again. </p><p> </p><p>Claire shook her head again. “Nuh-uh,” She leaned back and grinned at Allison. “I want to hear about the time the Umbrella Academy defeated the robbers at the museum.”</p><p> </p><p>Allison smiled back and playfully rolled her eyes. “Again?” Claire nodded enthusiastically. “Okay,” She agreed while setting the storybooks down on the bed. A moment later, she looked back over at her daughter. “It was a dark and stormy night…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “They went in quietly, like mice. One by one, in a line.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Luther brought up the lead, his siblings behind him in single file as they approached the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Immediately behind him was Diego, itching to get started with knives in hand. Then came Letitia, walking in front of Ben with no expression on her face and no weapon in sight except for the dull yellow glow around her fingertips. Ben and Klaus were third and second to last, neither of them with weapons in hand, and behind them was Allison with a wide grin on her face. </p><p> </p><p>“Letitia,” Luther muttered over the rain coming down around them. “How many are there?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Your Aunt Tish, she spied on the robbers with her special powers from outside the museum! Didn’t even need a window to look into to find them.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Allison watched as her sister extended her powers in a bid to find the intruders’ life signs. A moment later, she retracted her powers and narrowed her gaze on the museum. </p><p> </p><p>“There are nine, one for each of us and three extra for Ben,” Letitia murmured. “Two in the Greek and Roman Art wing, five in the Medieval Art wing, and the last two are in the Egyptian Art Wing, all bordering the main entry hall.”</p><p> </p><p>Luther nodded once. “Diego and I will take the Egyptian Wing, Letitia and Ben will take care of the Medieval Wing, and Klaus and Allison will cover the Greek and Roman Wing. No one leaves their partner, got it?”</p><p> </p><p>Everyone nodded in agreement and approached the front doors, unlocked by the intruders, and snuck inside as quietly as possible. Once inside the museum, the three pairs split off and went off to their respective wings with eyes narrowed and peeled for intruders. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Your Uncle Luther-” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “You mean Spaceboy.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Allison chuckled. “He got the first one.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Luther grinned with pride as he pinned the robber to the wall, jewels he’d pried out of the various artworks tumbling from his pockets as he did so. The robber gaped at him in shock, too terrified to wiggle away as the sixteen-year-old held him against the wall without breaking a sweat. </p><p> </p><p>“I don’t believe those belong to you,” Luther chimed with a glance at the jewels. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Uncle Diego pinned down the second.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The knives let out a metallic screech as they embedded themselves into the wall, trapping the robber against it by his clothing as Diego walked over, smirking all the while. The robber shook with fear and reached up in an attempt to yank himself free from the knives. </p><p> </p><p>“That’s not the only prison you’ll experience, my friend,” Diego assured the robber before taking the priceless vase from the robber’s hands and putting it back on its pedestal. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Uncle Ben, he took down four at the same time!” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The robbers screamed as tentacles wrapped around their stomachs, thrashing wildly and sending the contents of their pockets and stomachs all over the floor. Jewels, rings, and necklaces from Medieval rulers clattered on the floor and rolled away as the robbers continued to scream. Ben cringed at the sight of the vomit joining the jewels on the floor. </p><p> </p><p>“Why is it always so messy?” He muttered to himself. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “And your Aunt Tish? She was so fast, she even took care of the robber Uncle Klaus was supposed to fight.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “What was Uncle Klaus doing?”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “He… got a little distracted.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Letitia cracked her knuckles as she stepped over the robbers, each with snapped tibias and wailing with pain, to approach Klaus as he carelessly smoked a joint. Her hand came up and smacked him upside the head, earning a yelp in turn. </p><p> </p><p>“What was that for?” Klaus demanded. Letitia rolled her eyes and took the joint away to shove in one of the robber’s pockets. “I was using that!”</p><p> </p><p>“Exactly,” She murmured. “Not the time or place, brother-mine. Wait till we’re home, okay?”</p><p> </p><p><em> “And I </em> nicely <em> asked their leader if he could put back what didn’t belong to him.” </em></p><p> </p><p>Allison grinned at the last robber, whose hands were locked around a painting from a different wing, and skipped over lightly. The robber’s eyes widened as she came into view, his mind immediately recognizing the uniform and the mask. Before he could do anything, though, Allison was whispering in his ear. </p><p> </p><p>“I heard a rumor that you put that painting down and reactivated the security system.”</p><p> </p><p>The alarm blared loudly, and the police arrived just as the siblings finished dragging the robbers to the entryway in a heap. Reginald stood outside as well, no emotion of any sort on his face as his children exited the museum and climbed into the car to head home. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “And then the robbers went to jail. And the whole city threw us a very fancy party for saving the day!” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Claire grinned at Allison as the story came to a close. It was her favorite and was closely followed by the time her Mom had stopped the group of stuntmen getting revenge on actors and actresses, as well as the time her Uncle Five and Aunt Letitia had stopped people from hijacking a plane when the Academy was traveling to San Francisco for a mission. She just loved the stories her Mom told about her aunts and uncles. Her smile dropped though when she remembered one aunt in particular. </p><p> </p><p>“Mommy, why isn’t Auntie Vanya ever in your stories?” She wondered. </p><p> </p><p>Allison froze, her eyes slightly wide, and then shook her head slightly. “She didn’t come on missions with us, sweetie.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why not?” Claire didn’t think that seemed fair. Everyone else got to go on the missions, why not Vanya? Allison sighed. </p><p> </p><p>“Well, she’s a little different from the rest of us,” She explained, not wanting to go into more detail with her six-year-old. Her eyes flicked to the clock and a smile appeared on her face. “Okay, it’s time for bed, sweetie, alright?”</p><p> </p><p>Claire’s lip stuck out in a pout. “One more story, Mommy,” She whined. “I wanna hear the one about the Eiffel Tower.”</p><p> </p><p>Allison shook her head as she stood from the bed. “No Claire, it’s past your bedtime.”</p><p> </p><p>The pout only grew on Claire’s face, and her whining only got louder. “Mommy, please, just one more!”</p><p> </p><p>“I will read you one tomorrow.” Allison started adjusting the pillows and covers over her daughter. </p><p> </p><p>“But I’m not tired!” Claire’s voice was louder now. </p><p> </p><p>“Claire-” Allison’s irritation was beginning to mount. </p><p> </p><p>“But I want one!” Claire cried out. </p><p> </p><p>“Claire!” Allison was not in the mood that night. </p><p> </p><p>“Mom, come on, I want a story,” Claire pleaded with wide eyes. </p><p> </p><p>Just this once. The thought dangled temptingly in Allison’s mind. She could do it, just this once. Claire would never know, and she needed to sleep. Allison settled back down on Claire’s fluffy pink bed, her eyes slightly narrowed. </p><p> </p><p>“I heard a rumor,” Allison began, the words echoing as they entered Claire’s mind. “That you’re really tired, and you wanna go to sleep.”</p><p> </p><p>The words died as Claire’s eyes turned white for just a second. Then, she leaned over and fell asleep, her eyes shut and her mind quieted as well as her desire for more stories. Allison leaned away but froze as the hinge of Claire’s door creaked. She whipped around and paled at the sight of her husband, watching her with horror, disappointment, and defeat in his eyes. </p><p> </p><p>“Patrick, I can explain,” Her voice was weak as he stormed away. “Patrick!”</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>She hadn’t been able to explain, and she would never be able to explain it in any way that didn’t involve her being so <em> selfish </em>. Tears trickled down Allison’s skin as the memory played on repeat while she drove. She had lost her family, and now she was losing her siblings too. Klaus, Five, Letitia, and Vanya would all leave once the apocalypse was over, and she’d be left with Luther and Diego and no sisters. </p><p> </p><p>Allison wondered if the universe was sending her a sign when it sent Five back to them, a sign that she was meant to be alone in her world of films, of glitz and glamor. She wondered if it would’ve turned out differently had she never been so dependent on her power. But then, she remembered that the past had happened. She couldn’t change it. All she could do was try and move forward. And to her, that meant getting at least a semblance of her family back, someway, somehow.</p><p> </p><p>So, with that resolve in mind, she pushed down on the gas a little more and sped towards the hospital where Vanya was waiting, alone and worried as she watched Leonard sleep in his hospital bed. </p><p> </p><p>UA</p><p> </p><p>Five and Letitia, however, were not waiting for anything. As soon as they’d read through the journal, they’d teleported back to New York City and into Vanya’s apartment where they found Leonard’s address with ease. From there, they went to the small house in the outskirts via teleportation so as not to disturb any of the locks or windows and therefore alert any neighbors to their presence. </p><p> </p><p>“Don’t touch anything if you can help it,” Five reminded her as they made their way into the relatively normal looking house. </p><p> </p><p>Letitia nodded once and walked next to him into the living room, where they both took note of the rather impersonal levels of decoration that mimicked the lake house. As they reached the kitchen, though, the two of them separated to search different floors of Jenkins’ home. While Letitia remained on the main floor, digging through every room she could in the time they had, Five climbed the stairs to the upstairs with ease. </p><p> </p><p>As he walked around, taking in the rather dated furnishings, he wondered how he would kill Harold Jenkins. The man was clearly smart, knew how to play people, and was quick to violence. A dangerous combination, sure, but Five knew these people better than they knew themselves. All you needed to do to break them was to beat them at their own game. </p><p> </p><p>Five went through each room as meticulously as he could without touching anything, knowing the last thing he wanted to do was clean up after himself and whatever trail he might leave. He saw very little that was out of place in the bedrooms, but the bathroom caught his eye as an orange prescription bottle shone inside the clear wastebasket. His eyes narrowed. </p><p> </p><p>“What are you taking, Jenkins,” He muttered while carefully fishing into the wastebasket to remove the bottle. His eyes shut as he read the name on the outside, a name that was not Harold Jenkins. </p><p> </p><p>A prescription in Vanya’s name, one that should not be empty as he noted the date on the bottle to be just over a week and a half ago and the dosage to be two a day and as needed. If Vanya had emptied this herself, that would have been a separate concern to Five. However, there was nothing to indicate that she’d been taking enormous amounts of medication let alone the amount needed to empty this bottle. So, that left him with one reasonable conclusion. Jenkins had taken away her meds. </p><p> </p><p>His eyes widened and he quickly fished the journal out of his vest to flip through the pages until he reached Vanya’s section. Five looked between the label on the prescription bottle and back at the notes in the journal. The name of the medicine was the same, the name of the patient was the same, the only thing that’d changed was Five’s perception of Harold Jenkins. He was smart, yet simultaneously lazy. </p><p> </p><p>Five placed the bottle in his pocket and continued on through the house, finding nothing in the second bathroom, and was about to turn and head back downstairs when he spotted a panel in the ceiling. His lips curved into a dangerous smirk as he reached up and pushed the barrier away to reveal a small, folded up ladder. </p><p> </p><p>“Let’s see what else you’re hiding,” Five whispered to himself before ascending the ladder to the attic. </p><p> </p><p>Below him, on the main floor, Letitia was situated in front of a large bookcase and was scanning it carefully. Most of the books he had were of woodworking, his occupation as Vanya had informed them when they’d gotten dinner together, but there were a few that caught her eye. Some were on psychology, others on music, including a book of easy songs for learning the violin, and then there was the one that forced her to pause. Her eyes narrowed as they landed on <em> Extra Ordinary: My Life as Number Seven </em>. </p><p> </p><p>“Well, you chose a rather handy arsenal, Jenkins,” Letitia commented to herself as she pulled away from the bookshelf. “I bet you had a field day when you saw that book, when you saw the perfect guide to Vanya and her beautiful self.”</p><p> </p><p>Her knuckles turned white as she forced herself not to slam a fist into the wall with sheer rage. Her chest heaved with a deep breath, and she could feel herself trembling as she took several steps away to restrain herself. Finally, Letitia relaxed and shook her head before turning to the staircase and beginning to ascend it. </p><p> </p><p>“Five?” She called out. “Did you find anything?”</p><p> </p><p>There was silence for a moment before he responded. “Yeah. A lot,” He admitted. “I’m just taking some pictures so we don’t have to stick around here.”</p><p> </p><p>Letitia frowned. “You brought a camera?” She demanded. </p><p> </p><p>Five scoffed and peeked down through the opening to the attic. “No, but this house’s resident stalker has many a camera up here. I’m simply borrowing one in the name of putting a stop to him.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ahh, gotcha,” She hummed. “Well, the psycho has a copy of her book as well as several on psychology. I wouldn’t put it past him to have created a profile on Vanya to prepare himself.”</p><p> </p><p>She watched his brows pinch as he scowled. “I’ll take a look up here, it’s where he seems to have kept all the other damning evidence against him that he’s been accumulating,” He explained. “And then we’ll head to the police station, see if there’s anything we can find on him.”</p><p> </p><p>Letitia flashed him a thumbs-up as he moved out of the opening and out of sight. “Then we’ll stop by a pharmacy and develop whatever photos you take.”</p><p> </p><p>Within minutes, Five had finished up in the attic and descended the ladder to grab Letitia’s hand while the camera sat in his other hand. Then, with a flash of blue light, the two of them were gone and Harold Jenkins’ house was left empty once more. </p><p> </p><p>UA</p><p> </p><p>Eventually, the morning dawned on the world and brought daylight streaking across the sky as the day before the apocalypse began. In the hospital, Vanya was fast asleep beside Leonard’s bed. In the car, Allison was still speeding towards her sister on the long route to St. Elizabeth’s. However, there were two people who Harold Jenkins would say were exactly where they weren’t supposed to be. </p><p> </p><p>Letitia let out a sigh as she stared at the pictures Five had brought back from Jenkins’ home earlier that morning that were spread out around them on the floor of the living room inside the cabin. There were multitudes, Five had been meticulous in taking as many photos of the evidence as he could, and she didn’t know where she wanted to start. She reached out and tapped one depicting pictures of the Umbrella Academy with injuries drawn on each member. </p><p> </p><p>“Let’s work this out,” She mumbled while her free hand rubbed her temples idly. </p><p> </p><p>Five hummed and picked up the photo. “Well, he has a grudge. Some reason to want the Umbrella Academy destroyed, and I’d bet it was a bad one given how dedicated he is.”</p><p> </p><p>She nodded in reply. Most of the rest of the photos contained every member of the Academy being mangled via photos from magazines or posters. “So, what did the Academy do?” Letitia wondered. “Maybe this is because of a family member. Did we kill anyone by the name of Jenkins, arrest anyone?”</p><p> </p><p>“Not that I can recall,” Five admitted. “And Dad kept a record of the missions in the very back of the journal, there are no mentions of anyone named Jenkins in the list of perpetrators we fought against.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, so something that directly happened to him,” Her mind raced as she attempted to identify Harold Jenkins in any of her past memories. “Five, I have <em> never </em> seen this man before we found him on the switchboard, I have no clue how we could’ve done anything to him.”</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe a boyfriend? Girlfriend? If we arrested or killed them, that’d be enough to form a grudge.” Five suggested. Letitia shook her head and pointed at the file he’d grabbed from the police station. </p><p> </p><p>“He’s been in prison for twelve years, there are no records of him having had any relationships in the psychiatrist’s notes from his time there,” She reminded him. Her finger moved back to the photos. “And there’s no one else pictured in any of these displays beside the Academy, Vanya, and Dad. So, we’re looking at something that happened <em> before </em> he went to prison, most likely.”</p><p> </p><p>Five scowled and grabbed the file to flip through it. “He went to prison when he was sixteen after murdering his father, showed distinct signs of abuse from said father…” He trailed off and pointed at the date of the arrest. “Does that date ring a bell to you?”</p><p> </p><p>Letitia leaned over and stared at the paper before gasping. “Wait a second,” She turned and grabbed their father’s journal and flipped to the end, where the mission logs were kept. “That was the day the Umbrella Academy returned from DC, we’d saved a Congressman’s son from being held ransom. We came back, there was a crowd outside the Academy-”</p><p> </p><p>“And that boy!” Five exclaimed, his eyes widening as the memory came forward. “There was a boy, he jumped over the barricade and tried to join the Academy, remember?”</p><p> </p><p>Her brows furrowed as she thought back to it. Her mouth dropped open. “Yes, yes he was wearing an Umbrella Academy costume,” She murmured, “He claimed that he was born on the same day as us and that he might have powers.”</p><p> </p><p>Five skimmed through the file again. “Yes, his date of birth was October 1st, 1986.”</p><p> </p><p>“So, a kid, suffering from abuse, shows up at the Umbrella Academy,” Letitia began, her eyes wide as she and Five looked at each other. </p><p> </p><p>“Dad tells him there’s no way he has powers and has us send him away with his own brand of Reginald Hargreeves cruelty,” Five continued. </p><p> </p><p>“Jenkins goes back home, crushed and resentful, suffers another beating from his dad,” Letitia pointed at the notes from the police report. “Kills him, and then goes to prison for twelve years.”</p><p> </p><p>“And then gets out,” Their eyes landed on the journal. “Somehow gets his hands on Dad’s journal, and finds out exactly who he can use to destroy us. The one with the least control, and the one who needs someone to help her even discover that she has powers,” Five’s voice turned cold with fury the longer he spoke. </p><p> </p><p>“Vanya,” Letitia finished. “Also the one with the least attachment to the Academy, coupled with her own resentment for being excluded as he probably found in her book.”</p><p> </p><p>Five ran his fingers through his hair while Letitia picked up more of the photos and looked through them. “Jenkins is one sick bastard,” He muttered harshly. </p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” Letitia agreed as she noted all of the pictures where their faces had been mutilated on posters, where their action figures had been melted and mutilated in a variety of ways, and finally, the bulletin board on Vanya. “But now we know where he’s coming from. We know his motive, and we have more than enough proof to convince Vanya.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone! I'm so sorry this chapter is on the shorter side, but this episode didn't feel right in one huge chapter so I split it into two shorter ones for a better flow and should have the second part out soon. Now, onto my notes. </p><p>I did write in Allison's POV for the second time ever, and this came about entirely because of her involvement in future events. In the future, especially as we get into Season 2, it will probably happen more often depending on how I approach her arc in the story. So, keep an eye out for it and I hope you enjoyed how I turned her bedtime story into a memory sequence!</p><p>Also, I really hope you enjoyed Five and Letitia working through Leonard's motive and making all the connections. It was a scene I really enjoyed writing as I got to exemplify more of Five's analytical thinking and ability to make connections, as seen in the Commission, as well as his closeness with Letitia as she helps him. </p><p>Thank you so much for reading, and please leave a comment with your thoughts as I find them incredibly helpful and motivating. I hope you all have a great day, and I can't wait to put the second half of this episode out!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. I Heard A Rumor (Part Two)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We see more of Vanya and Jenkins' exploration of her powers, and a surprise visit from a sibling sends everything crashing down.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The hospital was incredibly quiet as Vanya slept, still in the chair beside Leonard’s hospital bed, except for the occasional announcement over the intercom. Nurses, doctors, and surgeons went about their duties as she slept, tending to their current patients and admitting new ones as the hours passed. One patient they weren’t paying attention to, though, was one Leonard Peabody. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stared at himself in the mirror of his room’s bathroom as he got dressed, his clothes from yesterday having dried fairly well overnight. His fingers came up to rest on the edge of the bandage covering his right eye, or the empty socket of it at least. They fell away and formed a fist as he thought back to last night’s events, to the beating he’d taken from those three guys in the parking lot of the restaurant. The beating that was never supposed to go that far. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His hands ran through his hair. He’d thought Vanya would react more quickly, protect him with her powers after the first couple punches, not after he’d lost his </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking eye</span>
  </em>
  <span>. His fingers pulled on his hair lightly before his hands rested on the back of his neck. He’d have to work harder, make her more dependent on him. Then, he’d be the only one she trusted, the only one who could control her. His lips curled into a smile as he realized who his next targets would have to become. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He just needed to eliminate Five and Letitia. The only ties between Vanya and her family, the only ones she trusted more than him. He would have to be quick and take them by surprise, of course. Their powers were dangerous, after all, and they had far more control over them. He relaxed as the journal entered his mind. There would be a way to destroy them in there, he knew it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, with that resolve in mind, Leonard quickly washed his face before exiting the bathroom and going over to Vanya, who was still fast asleep. He stamped down the urge to punish her for not saving him faster. His hand came out and rested on her shoulder, shaking her awake gently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya,” His voice was a gentle murmur. “Hey, wake up.” Her eyes fluttered open and she gasped at the sight of him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh my God, you’re awake!” Vanya cheered quietly, her lips curved in a smile of joy. The smile soon dropped into a look of confusion, however. “Wh- Why, why, why are you dressed?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard smiled, his hand moving down her arm towards her elbow to brace her slightly. “I’m getting out of here,” He explained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya’s features morphed into a frown. “Don’t you need to be observed?” She wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, no, no,” He assured her. “They, uh, want me to come back for a check-up tomorrow and to be fitted for a prosthetic eye, but that’s it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard winced as Vanya reached up to cup his cheek. “Oh God, your eye,” She whispered mournfully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shook his head. “No, I don’t wanna,” He swallowed, “I don’t wanna talk about it. I just…” He grinned internally as Vanya went along with his act easily, “Let’s go home, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nodded and grabbed her things before following him out of the hospital room. As they walked, she couldn’t help but feel a wave of guilt wash over her each time her gaze landed on Leonard’s bandaged eye. She squeezed his hand tightly as they turned down a hallway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m just glad you’re alright,” Leonard admitted, forcing her to look up at him as opposed to the floor. “I don’t know what I’d have done if something happened to you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her cheeks reddened with a blush and she looked away shyly. Was this how Letitia felt when Five complimented her? Vanya shook her head slightly at the thought. Her sister was more confident and had always known the feeling of being adored by someone. She wouldn’t be one to turn into a shy and blushing schoolgirl just because Five gave her a compliment. In fact, she would probably push him up against the wall and kiss him senseless. Vanya blushed as she thought of the many memories of hearing them through the thin walls between her room and Letitia’s to uphold that hypothesis. She wondered if she’d ever be able to do that to Leonard.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya’s thoughts came screeching to a halt, however, as someone called out after them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me! Mister Peabody!” They turned to see a nurse approaching them with a look of worry and exasperation on her face. “The doctor hasn’t discharged you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought you-” Leonard shook his head, cutting Vanya off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine, I’m ready to go,” He informed the nurse, who sighed and grabbed a clipboard. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine, but you’ll have to sign the voluntary discharge papers,” She explained while passing the forms to Leonard, who groaned before filling them out. Meanwhile, Vanya looked over at the nurse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There were three men that were hurt outside the tavern last night. Do you know what happened to them?” She questioned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The nurse’s face pinched into a frown. “We just got the one,” She replied. Leonard looked up for a moment before turning back to the paperwork. Vanya paled slightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And where are the other two?” She asked in a faint whisper, bile rising in her throat. The nurse sighed regretfully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, the paramedics couldn’t save them,” She admitted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya wanted to throw up. Her mind shot back to last night, to the massive wave of energy she’d expelled in order to protect Leonard. To the sound of one man’s spine crumpling against the door of a van before he fell to the ground. To the splatter of blood that spewed from another man’s skull as he was slammed into the exterior of the tavern. It was her fault. She’d killed two people with her powers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The conversation between Leonard and the nurse continued, but Vanya couldn’t hear any of it. All she could hear was the sound of her screaming, of Leonard crying out in pain, of those men dying at her hands. Vanya bit back sobs as Leonard led her out of the hospital and to their car, which she’d driven to the hospital whilst following the ambulance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neither of them noticed Five and Letitia standing beneath a tree and watching them carefully. Five scowled and lowered the brim of the hat he’d donned, one quite similar to the one from his time at the Commission. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I could always just flip the car,” He suggested, breaking the silence as fury bubbled at the sight of Harold Jenkins comforting his sister. Letitia shook her head once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’d have to teleport Vanya out of the car first, and we don’t know what her powers would do in response to that,” She chimed, her hand rubbing his back gently as she spoke. “We have to wait, Five.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His lips curled into a sneer. “I can’t believe that bastard has his hands all over her,” He remarked coldly as Vanya and Leonard hugged tightly before starting the car. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hummed and snaked her arm around his waist to squeeze him lightly. “Speaking of said bastard,” She murmured, “How did you remember that there was a boy that jumped the barricade the day that Jenkins tried to join the Academy? I couldn’t remember it and that was only sixteen years ago for me as opposed to the forty-two it was for you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five looked away from the car and swallowed before turning and leading Letitia around to the gardens behind the hospital, where some hospitalized patients were walking around with their families. She watched him carefully as they walked, worry blooming in her heart at the pain on his face and the tension in his body. Before she could tell him not to worry about it, however, Five sighed and began to reply. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“After I got stuck,” He took a deep breath, “And after I buried you, I realized that all I had left of you, and of Vanya, were memories. There was no way to bring you back, no way to get back home, so I would spend hours forcing myself to remember as far back as I could. I would scavenge for empty notebooks or journals, and I would write down memories as far back as I could remember so that I wouldn’t lose them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia blinked and watched as Five held back tears while avoiding her gaze. “What did you do when you got to the Commission?” She asked softly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I had them all memorized by then,” Five admitted. “Each day I would spend hours reading them over, burning them into my mind. The only part that my mind failed to maintain was the sound of your voices, but I could recall the images with glaring detail.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did the Commission ever try to take them away?” Letitia’s eyes were wide with these new revelations of Five’s time away from her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shuddered as memories of pain, torturous touches, and screams echoed in his mind. “They did, yes,” He admitted. “But the memories were all I had, so I clung to them as if they were my only lifeline in a massive ocean, and in the end the Commission decided my value far outweighed the liability of my attachments and memories.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her brows pinched in a frown. “But, remember why that memory? It was just us going home from a mission,” She mumbled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia gasped as Five pulled her behind a tree and pushed her up against the tree, his eyes full of an intensity she only saw when he looked at her. He reached up and cupped her face gently, with shaking fingers as the intensity gave way to vulnerability the longer they stared at each other. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Every memory I have of you,” He whispered. “Was one that I treasured. And that day, Dad was going to use you against a bystander, to put their blood or injuries on your hands. I would never forget something like that, or anything else about you if I could help it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Letitia blinked away her stubborn tears and reached up to encircle him tightly as he pulled away. Five’s hands moved to the back of her head and the small of her back, holding her tightly against him. Inside her skull, Letitia’s thoughts raced. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was when he revealed little details like these, the small snapshots of his life in the world after the apocalypse, that Letitia was reminded of how strong and dedicated he was. He’d lost everything, buried his family, and been left on the empty face of the Earth for decades, but he’d managed to keep his memories alive. He had never let his past die, never let himself lose his family, or her, completely. Five had kept them alive in his own way, even when everything and everyone he ran into after meeting the Handler wanted to rip them away from him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes squeezed shut and she buried her face in his neck, her thoughts full of pain for her lover. He was strong, but he was hurt as well. There was so much agony in Five’s mind, body, and soul now. And she could hardly bear it. All she wanted was to take the pain away, to go back and run after him when he left the first time, to take him away once this was all over so he could finally have some peace, anything as long as it helped quell the pain inside him. Letitia bit back a sniffle as she pulled him ever so slightly closer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neither of them said anything for several more moments, not even when they teleported to the woods and watched the house from up in a tree until Leonard and Vanya arrived over two hours later. Letitia took a deep breath and forced her emotions away, it was not the time to address them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Do you want to listen in, or should I?” She questioned as her sister exited the car and walked into the cabin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five clicked his tongue against his teeth. “I’ll go,” He decided. “You keep an eye out in case someone else shows up for some reason.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Letitia nodded once before he dropped to the ground with a flash. His steps were as silent as they could be when traversing a forest floor as he walked up to the cabin and hid beneath the open windows. Five forced himself to breathe as quietly as possible, his ears searching for Vanya or Jenkins’ voices. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally, Jenkins spoke. “It’s not your fault, you know. What happened to those guys.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You saw what happened,” Vanya mumbled. “It just surged out of me like a tidal wave. And it killed them. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> killed them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was no way he could disagree with Vanya’s explanation, but Five refused to judge her for it. After all, there had been a fair share of incidents where Letitia had lost control and he’d never pushed her away because of it. They weren’t normal people, and when a lack of control was entered into the equation he couldn’t judge either of the women for the outcomes. Abnormal circumstances were not meant to be held to a normal code of conduct or code of morality. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You were acting in self-defense,” Jenkins reminded her. “You were defending me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I shouldn’t be able to do that,” Vanya argued. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jenkins scoffed lightly. “But you can. You have a power, Vanya. You have a gift.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya let out a frustrated sound that resembled a hybrid of a groan and a growl. “It’s like with the boat,” She muttered. “If I- If I try to do it, I can’t. And if I don’t try, people die. It’s just another thing I can’t do right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Bullshit</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Five couldn’t help but think. There were so many things Vanya could do right. She was a fantastic listener, a talented musician, incredibly kind and trusting, the list was almost endless. And, he knew her powers could join that list if she had the right people helping. Instead, she had a psychopath as a guide and that wouldn’t do for much longer. Not when the apocalypse was in less than forty-eight hours.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop, don’t say that,” Jenkins murmured soothingly. “Don’t. I… This stuff that’s happening to you, it’s scary. But maybe we can control it. Make it less of a tidal wave and more of a ripple.” He paused. “Right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was silence for a moment. “Can I practice first?” Vanya asked quietly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Jenkins replied, and Five just </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> his lips were curved in a falsely sweet smile. God, it made him want to rip the man’s canines and incisors out before putting a bullet in his head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>From there, Five could hear the sound of Jenkins walking off to another part of the cabin while Vanya seemed to remain inside the living room. There was a soft rustling sound, then the echo of the zipper opening on her violin case. Five pressed himself closer to the exterior of the cabin as Vanya began moving around, but relaxed when he heard the front door open followed by the sound of her violin in the air. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now, let’s see where you’ve gone off to,” He muttered to himself as he moved from window to window, carefully peering inside as best he could without being seen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he did so, music continued to flow out from Vanya and her violin, up into the trees and then to the sky where it danced on the breeze. She could feel the vibrations of the strings as her bow danced across them, hear every alteration of each note’s pitch, and felt her emotions settle into a peaceful calm. The violin had always soothed her, whether by sweetening the bitter sting of rejection she felt with her family, bringing stability to the chaos of grief after Five’s disappearance and Ben’s death, turning on the shower of compliments she’d receive from Letitia, or just giving herself something to do. Something to distract herself with. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya began to lose herself further to the music, allowing it to become more passionate, more true to the emotions she wanted to convey, and in doing so brought a smile to the face of a certain blonde watching from a treetop. Letitia sighed and allowed herself to indulge in listening to her sister. She’d always admired Vanya for her abilities, having never had a medium with which she could show skill aside from mutilating others. She’d always wanted Vanya to be happy to play, and had delivered quite a few injuries when her siblings didn’t and wanted to scold or tease her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was because of these desires that Letitia had been so overjoyed that Vanya had earned first chair, that she was going to be the center of the world at her upcoming concert. When one had been left on the sidelines, even occasionally by those who cared for her most, one had to take whatever victories they could. A smile of pride spread across Letitia’s lips. Vanya had most certainly taken her victories, and now she could run to the hills with them and claim more and more. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her musings continued on in time with the music, while Five’s motions were the exact opposite of the sweet and slow melody. His body was tense, his fingers twitched with the desire to strangle someone, and his eyes were needle-sharp as he carefully peered into the master bedroom. Soon, his frustration melted away to smug delight as he watched Jenkins rummage through his pack in search of something that was long since gone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where the fuck is it?” He spat hatefully, his belongings flying across the room as he attempted to recover the Monocle’s journal. “I know I didn’t leave it at the house.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s lips curled into a grin. They had him pinned. He couldn’t do much beside search for something that wasn’t there, and he most certainly couldn’t ask Vanya about it. After all, she knew that journal’s appearance like the back of her hand after assisting in their training sessions for years. Jenkins was thoroughly fucked. His safety net was gone, he couldn’t tell anyone, and now there was a rather powerful, mostly uncontrollable superhero on his porch who could kill him easily enough if something went wrong. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All they had to do now was wait for the perfect moment. Jenkins would snap, he knew that much, and when he did they would be ready. The photos of his attic were perfectly tucked inside the cover of the journal, the journal itself was in their possession, and now it was the end of the waiting game. Five backed away from the window and disappeared with a flash of blue light before reappearing in the tree. Letitia flashed him a lazy smile, still enraptured with Vanya’s playing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s improved so much,” She remarked sweetly. “I can’t wait to see her with a full orchestra behind her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s arm moved to rest on her shoulders and pull her into his side. “She’ll be amazing,” He agreed. “All we need to do now is find our moment to strike.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Has he noticed it’s missing?” Letitia asked with a pointed glance at his sweater vest, where he’d kept the journal tucked away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Indeed he has,” Five replied. Letitia winced mockingly while her smile turned from sweet to somewhat feral. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, are we going to plant it? Allow Vanya to find the truth out with minimal assistance, or do we interfere openly?” She wondered. Five hummed under his breath. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hopefully, he’ll slip up badly enough that Vanya will need some space,” He decided, “And then he’ll be an open target. Car accidents are rather easy to stage after all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Or a nasty fall,” Letitia suggested. “And then we’ll find a way to show up here in a way that makes sense.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded and relaxed, moving the conversation to idle chit chat until Leonard came out to the porch and smiled at Vanya. From there, the worried siblings followed their sister and her lover into the woods to watch her training session. At first, it was fine. They were quiet, they were smiling at each other. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, Vanya,” Leonard murmured. “Think back to when you used your powers. What were you focusing on?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her brows pinched into a frown as she thought it over. Eventually, she looked back up at Leonard. “The sound of the engine,” She started slowly. “It just took over, like a hum in my head. I couldn’t focus on anything else.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard nodded. “Okay, so you’re channeling it through sound,” He deduced, earning a slower nod from Vanya. “Let’s see if you can do it here. Focus on the sounds of the forest.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya nodded again and took a few steps away from Leonard, caution fuelling her actions as she glanced at his bandaged eye socket. Her eyes closed a moment later as she focused her senses on the sounds around her. The whisper of the wind through the leaves, the babbling of a nearby stream, the calls of the birds, all surrounded her. A small smile came to her face while Leonard offered encouragement periodically. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now, see if you can manipulate it,” He murmured. “Just try it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Vanya’s face scrunched with concentration, her fingers shaking slightly as she fought to harness the energy of the sounds she was hearing. Above them, Five and Letitia maintained a watchful eye on their sister. Vanya’s eyes opened a moment later, irritation clouding them as she realized she’d caused nothing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Leonard attempted to placate her. “Just try it again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nodded and turned her attention back to the sound of nature, forcing herself to stamp down her irritation as best she could. However, as Vanya continued to be unable to get her powers exactly right on the third, fifth, or even tenth try, everything boiled over. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya, you just need to-” Leonard let out a groan of frustration. “You just need to listen to your surroundings! Use the sounds and then-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I told you, Leonard, I am trying!” She shouted, her hair whipping around her face as a breeze shot through the forest. “So stop getting so angry when I don’t get it right!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard ran his hands through his hair. “I’m not getting angry, I just want to help you, Vanya! Please, let me help you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This doesn’t feel like help,” Vanya stated, her eyes bright with tears as the slightest bit of rain joined the breeze. “Leonard, I don’t want to do this anymore. It’s too much.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She watched him shake his head frantically, and walk over to her with his hands outstretched. Vanya shook terribly as he rested his hands on her shoulders and stared down at her with a tight smile. She found herself tensing up under his hands, fear of her abilities taking root as the breeze and the rain grew stronger. Her breathing came in ragged gasps as memories of the two men she’d accidentally killed rushed to the forefront. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“God, this is what her meds must have been preventing,” Letitia groaned as her sister’s tirade continued and forced the branch beneath her feet to tremble. Water soaked through her clothing, forcing her jeans to mold to her skin like body paint. “Did Dad even think to try anger management techniques? Or therapy?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five didn’t respond, his thoughts too focused on his sister and her lover. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya, you need to focus!” Leonard snapped, his only eye narrowed as he glared at their sister while shaking her shoulders lightly. “If you don’t concentrate, you’ll lose control!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FIve’s eyes narrowed at his word choice. “He’s going to fuck it up,” He realized. “At any second he’s going to fuck up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t jinx it,” Letitia warned him. “And keep your footing steady. I don’t want to have to fix a broken spine today.” The two of them turned back to Vanya and Leonard. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, I wanna go back inside,” Vanya whimpered. “I don’t want to train anymore, I don’t want to-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you think your brothers and sisters ever got to take a break from training?” Leonard demanded. “No, they didn’t, and they probably had better control than this to start out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya shook her head. “I’m not my siblings, Leonard,” The tears were running down her face now. “Please, I just need to take a break. I need to practice for the concert, I need to just stop for today, please-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You are wasting your gifts!” Leonard shouted, his hands tightening on her shoulders. “Who cares about the violin when you can do this?! It’s just an instrument, Vanya, but these powers are-”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes widened as Vanya shoved herself away from Leonard, her face red and her eyes puffy as they continued to leak tears that she struggled to wipe away. Her mind was divided into three, with one side cheering in victory that Jenkins had thoroughly fucked up, another side hosting a burning desire to tear Jenkins apart, and the final side wanting nothing more than to pull her sister into a hug and never let go. Next to her, Five was similarly divided, but with a murderous rage towards Leonard that exceeded Letitia’s by leaps and bounds. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want to go home,” Vanya announced. “I don’t want to train, I want to play my violin and practice for my concert. That’s my life, not these powers.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard scoffed. “You want to go home?” He repeated. Vanya nodded tearfully. “Fine. You can figure out a way to get home. I bet </span>
  <em>
    <span>Five and Letitia</span>
  </em>
  <span> would be more than happy to pick you up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes narrowed at the emphasis on their names, on the vile hatred Leonard’s tone conveyed towards them but was distracted as Vanya shouted back that they would be picking her up before storming off. Letitia gasped and tugged on his sleeve. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s going to call the house,” She declared. “Teleport there, I’ll stay here and keep Vanya safe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But-” Terror pierced his heart as he watched Jenkins shake with rage beneath them. Letitia grabbed his wrist and stared up at him with fire in her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go,” She ordered. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five took a deep breath and pulled her into a kiss before disappearing in a flash of blue light. Meanwhile, Letitia descended from the tree with careful precision. The sun was lower in the sky now, their training had elapsed for longer than Letitia had thought, and much of the morning and early afternoon had been eaten up by Vanya’s violin practice. She was careful not to be seen as she abandoned the tree, not wanting to be spotted by Jenkins of all people. However, it seemed that fate was working in her favor as she turned to see Jenkins walking away from the cabin, deeper into the woods.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a shaky sigh, Letitia drew closer to the house, keeping an eye out for Five as she started hearing the faint sound of Vanya getting her stuff together. She then moved to press herself against the outside of the cabin, just beneath an open window and waited with bated breath. A few minutes later, she heard the tell-tale sound of Vanya dialing the house, followed by her speaking to Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five?” A pause. “Yes, it’s Vanya, look I need you and Letitia to come pick me up,” Her voice was choked with tears. “I don’t care how you get here, I just need you here now.” Another pause. “Okay, I’m at Leonard’s lake cabin on Chestnut Street. Thank you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The sound of the phone settling back into the receiver sent a shock of relief into Letitia’s system but was unparalleled to the feeling of Five appearing next to her. Letitia spun around and hugged him tightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jenkins went off into the woods,” She explained. “We need to get Vanya out of here and then we can take care of him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded and opened his mouth to respond when Vanya gave an incredulous shout from inside the house. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Allison?!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He could feel the blood draining from his face. Letitia cursed under her breath, breaking away from him to run around to the front of the house, where Allison was standing on the porch and staring at Vanya. Five grabbed her hand and pulled her back, tension growing in his body as the wind from earlier picked up. Letitia blinked before shaking her head slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, no, no,” She muttered. “Vanya’s too stressed, Allison’s going to trigger a reaction.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s grip on her hand tightened. “It’ll only be worse if Allison spots us,” He pointed out. “She’ll become demanding, nosy, it’ll freak her out more.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We have to do something!” Letitia whispered desperately. “We can’t just stand by, Five!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His hand came up and covered her mouth as Allison began speaking to Vanya. He ignored the glare Letitia sent him, his instincts from the Commission starting to kick in as he forced them not to blow their cover. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya, what’s going on?” Allison demanded over the howling wind as it grew in volume. Her sister’s chest heaved with each breath as she stared at Allison with wide eyes. “Vanya, are you okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?” Vanya stammered. “Why, why-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I told you I was going to come to you in the hospital, but you weren’t there when I got there,” Allison reminded her slowly. “I got the address from the hospital, now what’s going on? This is really weird!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya’s hands came up to run in her hair. “You need to leave,” She ordered. “Please, just go.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison’s frown deepened. “Vanya-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, just go!” Vanya shrieked frantically. “I’m waiting for Five and Letitia, so just go!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia watched as Allison’s jaw dropped. “Are you fucking serious, Vanya?” She shouted, seeing red. “I drove all this way to help you, and you want Five and Letitia?! I can’t believe you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya shook her head wildly, her fingers tangled in the long brown tresses. “Please, just go!” Her scream echoed in the wind, which was soon married with a harsh downpour of freezing rain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison’s eyes widened. “What the hell?” She breathed out. “What’s causing this?!”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s me!” Vanya admitted with a wail. “It’s me, and if you don’t leave then I might hurt you, so please just go!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya, this isn’t you,” Allison stated coldly. “You don’t have powers, and if you’re going to hurt someone then Five and Letitia can’t be here either!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, no, you don’t understand, I do have powers!” Vanya’s face was covered in salty tears. “And I need Five and Letitia to help me, so just go! Please, Allison, just go!”</span>
  <span></span>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Her shouts had long since moved to raw and guttural sobs as she stumbled away from her sister, her arms coming up to hug herself as she trembled terribly. Allison’s expression morphed to a scowl as she followed Vanya into the house further, her own hands in tight fists. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya, you’re delusional,” Allison declared. “And you need more help than our two sadistic siblings can give you. Now, come with me, we’re going home and you’re going to get a break from them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes widened as Vanya cried out with pain, and ripped herself from Five before sprinting up the steps of the porch. She vaguely registered Five calling out from behind her, but it was all drowned out by Vanya’s ear-piercing scream. Her hands came up and covered her ears, her eyes squeezing shut as the windows shattered. Five rushed over and moved his body to shield her. In front of them, Allison dropped to the floor in front of Vanya, who was curled up in a ball. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, the screaming stopped. Letitia’s eyes opened, and she gasped at the sight in front of her. Vanya looked up at the sound, her eyes lighting up for a moment before another scream ripped from her throat. Five looked down and stiffened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Between them and Vanya, Allison gasped for air. Blood rushed from her neck. Her torso was dotted with shards of glass. Her eyes were wide and blinking as she trembled on the carpet, the fabric turning red beneath her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shit,” Five breathed out.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Dun dun dun! </p><p>Well, other than that incredibly insightful comment (XD), I don't have much else to say about this chapter! The only thing I wanted to point out was my explanation of how Five maintained his memory, which I hope you all enjoyed as something different from having an eidetic memory. I have nothing against that technique, by the way, I just wanted to do something a little different so I could try it out. </p><p>Other than that, this chapter was insanely fun to write, especially towards the end, and I am ecstatic that now I get to get into my modified climax of this season!!! So, keep an eye out for future updates, please leave a comment with your thoughts, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and have a great day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Changes (Part One)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We see a quick memory, Letitia and Five begin planning, Klaus and Ben have an interesting conversation, and the beginning of the end arrives.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>28 years, 2 months, and 12 days ago</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seven was angry. Very angry as she stared down at her uneaten bowl of oatmeal in front of her on the breakfast table. She hated oatmeal, it was too soft, so flavorless, and just </span>
  <em>
    <span>disgusting</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Her eyes scanned the rest of the room, a frown growing on her face as she watched Eight and Five stand from the table and walk away while holding hands. They waved as they left, a gesture that Vanya returned, but then she was alone. Her eyes returned to the oatmeal. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She liked eggs better. Seven didn’t care how they were made, she just liked eggs better and couldn’t comprehend why she’d not been served eggs that morning. Her ponderings were interrupted, however, by their nanny, Rosa. Seven leaned away as Nanny Rosa leaned on the table with a spoon in her hand. She didn’t like Nanny Rosa, she kept trying to braid her hair like Eight and Three’s. Nanny Rosa thought they were strange, she made comments when she thought the kids weren’t listening. And she made her eat oatmeal. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your brothers and sisters have all finished their oatmeal and begun their training for the day,” Nanny Rose explained in a rather high pitched voice. Her smile was as false as the color of her hair, and it unnerved Seven. “Don’t you want to join them, Number Seven?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seven said nothing, her eyes moving to rest on the floor. She did, she really did want to be with her siblings, but she </span>
  <em>
    <span>didn’t want oatmeal</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Didn’t Nanny Rosa understand? Seven’s lips pursed into a frown while her hands clenched around her seat. She flinched at the sound of Nanny Rosa’s tongue clicking against her teeth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is someone having a rough morning?” Nanny Rosa questioned. Seven said nothing, her eyes sliding up to meet Nanny Rosa’s while her ears locked onto the sound of the kettle whistling. “You know what cheers me up when I’m down?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Cigarettes,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Seven wanted to say. But, that was rude. She knew it was rude, so she kept her lips pressed tightly together. Nanny Rosa pulled away slightly, her false smile growing as she did so. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Singing,” Nanny Rosa answered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seven’s grip on the chair tightened. She hated it when people sang, especially her siblings and Nanny. None of them were very good. Her ears rang painfully as Nanny Rosa burst into song, a French one if she was correct, and it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>awful</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The sound of the kettle whistling grew in volume, drowning out the Nanny. Seven eagerly gobbled up the sound, taking it in, focusing on it as Nanny Rosa danced to her own singing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, everything started shaking. The table, the chairs, everything in the kitchen wobbled back and forth and caused an orchestra of rattling and clattering sounds to echo in the room. Seven’s eyes narrowed as she focused further, just as Nanny Rosa moved toward her with the spoon in hand. A gust of wind whipped around them, she couldn’t hear Nanny Rosa’s singing at all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, there was a cry of shock, followed by a crash. Seven watched as Nanny Rosa flew through the air and landed with a crash on a set of toy building blocks. The sound of the kettle faded. Seven didn’t know a neck could bend like that. Was Nanny Rosa an owl?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Number Seven!” She whipped around to see her father standing there, a disappointed and displeased expression on his face. “Hm. Go to your training, now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She didn’t smile, she wouldn’t dare, but inside she was delighted. No oatmeal and she got to spend time with her siblings. Seven felt like a god as she ran off to find Five and Eight, who were both running up and down a flight of stairs. She was never going to eat oatmeal again if she could help it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately, the universe seemed to want Seven to eat oatmeal, as she was presented with it the same day she met their new Nanny, Miss Cornwallis. She was different from Nanny Rosa, but that was only in appearance and voice. Seven scowled as the woman approached with a spoon in hand, just as Nanny Rosa had. The kitchen shook again, the wind arrived, and before she knew it Miss Cornwallis was tumbling down the stairs, her neck bent even more strangely than Nanny Rosa’s had been. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Number Seven!” She looked over at her father. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He frowned at her and sent her off to training, unable to find a suitable punishment in that moment given the fact that the little girl in front of him didn’t understand that at four-years-old she’d killed two people. As she ran off, joining Five and Eight in another room to walk around in circles with weights in their hands, Reginald Hargreeves was forced to call a friend to deal with the body on his stairway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The third Nanny, Miss Stevenbaker, went away as well by way of a nearby window. The sound of the glass shattering was a bizarrely interesting sound to Seven’s ears and a moment later she decided to see what it was like again. Just as her father arrived, the window next to the one Miss Stevenbaker had gone through exploded. Seven’s eyes were wide with wonder, while her father was, by all definitions of the phrase, </span>
  <em>
    <span>not amused</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Number Seven!” He snapped, his hands tightly clenched into fists. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seven couldn’t find it in her to feel bad, she’d gotten what she wanted after all. So, when yet another Nanny was brought to her, she was fully prepared to do what she’d done the last three times. Her eyes narrowed as they appraised the woman in front of her. She was pretty, with blonde hair, pale skin and beautiful blue eyes, and she just looked </span>
  <em>
    <span>nice</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Number Seven, my name is Grace. I’m your new nanny,” She introduced herself with a sweet and motherly voice. Seven blinked at her slowly. “Your father tells me you don’t like oatmeal, but we need our breakfast to grow up big and strong, and you have to train with the others after you eat.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She had no problems with the training, none at all. Seven liked how Five was smarter than the others, how Eight would snuggle up to anyone aside from One, Two and Three, how Four would tickle her when their father wasn’t looking, and how Six was just a quiet and thoughtful companion. What she had a huge problem with, was the disgusting </span>
  <em>
    <span>oatmeal</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Here, let me help you,” Grace offered while spooning up some oatmeal and bringing it up to Seven’s mouth. She didn’t seem to notice the kitchen beginning to shake violently, and when she too flew across the room Seven didn’t react. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That is, until Grace stood right back up, smiling at her. Seven stiffened at the sight of Grace’s head on backward, her eyes staring back at her without a hint of irritation or fear. She gasped as Grace began walking towards her, backwards, and without dropping her smile once. She leaned away from the table, her face pinched in fear. Seven watched with wide eyes as Grace reached up, turning her head back the right way. The woman walked over to Seven, who curled in on herself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shall we try again?” Grace wondered while plucking a spoon from the tray and setting it in the bowl of oatmeal. Seven looked up at her. “Better eat that oatmeal before it gets cold.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was only a half-second of hesitation on Seven’s part before she grabbed the spoon and shoved the oatmeal in her mouth. She knew when she was beaten, and she didn’t want to know what other tricks Grace had up her sleeve. Behind her, her father and Pogo shared a smile with Grace. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Present Day</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya was screaming. Her hands were pressed against the sides of her head, hoping to drown out the sound as well as the sight in front of her as Allison continued to bleed all over the floor. She could smell the metallic scent of blood in the air, and she could feel the blood that had splattered onto her face and hands growing cold and sticky. Then, there was a new sound. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, hey,” Letitia crooned as she stepped over Allison to kneel on the floor, blood soaking into her jeans as she did so. “Vanya, it’s okay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shook her head back and forth, unable to stop her screams. Her body shook horribly as Letitia’s hands came up and covered her own, the warmth from her skin shocking Vanya slightly. Vanya’s gaze snapped to Letitia’s eyes, brown like her own yet lighter and warmer as the blonde smiled down at her. One of Letitia’s hands moved to cup her jaw and tilt her face up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You are safe, Vanya,” Letitia stated, just loud enough for Vanya to hear her over her own screams. “Five and I are here, and we’re going to fix this. Okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her screams stuttered and her eyes darted to Allison, who was moving between glaring at Letitia and desperately trying to speak as blood flooded her throat. Vanya sobbed wildly and shook her head in Letitia’s grasp. She wailed as Letitia moved her hand from her face to pull her into a tight hug. Vanya’s hands moved from her ears to tangle in Letitia’s shirt, clawing at the fabric desperately. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t mean to,” She cried out, her voice muffled slightly by Letitia’s skin as she tucked her face into her neck. “Please, you have to believe me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I do, I do,” Letitia assured her as her embrace tightened. “You didn’t do anything wrong, it was just an accident. Don’t worry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya’s gaze shifted to Five, who had moved to stand over Allison and was assessing her injuries with a grim expression. She burst into another round of sobs, her tears staining Letitia’s shirt. Five looked up at the sound and smiled at Vanya before moving to sit next to Letitia. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t cry, Vanya,” He murmured gently, his thumb coming up to brush her tears away. “It’s all going to be okay. Your family is here, and we’re going to keep you safe. Okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Vanya nodded slowly before reaching up and pulling her away from Letitia to hold in a gentle hug. His sister shivered in his arms and continued crying softly, her fingers desperately wiping away her tears as she watched Letitia move to sit on Allison’s other side. Five’s eyes narrowed as Letitia’s gaze swept across the cuts and shards of glass dotting her body.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is it bad?” He asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shook her head. “No, this is easy enough to heal,” Her eyes sharpened to a glare directed at Allison. “But you’re not walking away from this unscathed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before Allison could formulate a response, she felt a burning sensation in her vocal cords. Her eyes widened and she reached up to clutch at her throat as a yellow glow encircled Letitia’s hands. A moment later, the burn subsided and Letitia turned her attention to the shards of glass in her side. Silence reigned aside from Vanya’s sounds of distress while Letitia methodically removed each shard from Allison’s body and deposited them on the floor. With each shard removed, the accompanying hole in Allison’s flesh closed, until all that was left was the massive cut in Allison’s neck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, I probably should have gotten that first,” Letitia mumbled as she closed it, watching as Allison’s eyes began to droop slightly. “But I needed a safeguard.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya looked up, her eyes wide. “What- What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s heart swelled with pride as Letitia suddenly broke all of the bones in Allison’s hands, eliciting a scream that never came. “She’s making sure Allison can’t use her powers or try to hurt you again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But, doesn’t that hurt?” Vanya whispered, her eyes wide and fearful. Letitia looked up and smiled sadly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya, if we aren’t careful, she’ll go back and tell the others her own version of what happened, and that will not end well knowing how Luther will react to her having been injured,” She explained slowly. “So, while this may hurt, it is necessary.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But, I didn’t mean to hurt her,” Vanya stammered. “I just didn’t want to go, she was going to take me away from you two.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shushed her gently. “We know, we got here just before it happened,” He took a deep breath. “But Lettie’s right. Luther is too attached to Allison, and we don’t have time to try and reason with him before all hell breaks loose. So, we need to go.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go where?” Vanya’s eyes darted between her two favorites. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wherever we can find a place to hide,” Letitia answered. “I’ll have to get Klaus and Dave so that Luther doesn’t try to use them against us, and then we’ll go somewhere where we won’t be found.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And we’ll try to help you control this,” Five assured her. Vanya’s eyes welled up with tears. “Don’t worry, we’ve got you and we’re going to keep you safe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya nodded slowly in response and watched as Letitia stood, her gaze having moved back to Allison. Soon, Five helped Vanya to her feet and shuffled her around their sister to join Letitia. Allison’s eyes were clouded with fury as she watched them while forcing herself into a sitting position. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five, take her back to the house,” Letitia ordered while taking Vanya from him. “And then come back so we can leave.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. Fear filled her eyes and she scrambled backward, her face contorting with pain as she attempted to put weight on her shattered hands. Five sighed and followed her with ease, his hand wrapping around her arm before they disappeared in a flash. Letitia smiled up at Vanya and led her over to a chair before grabbing her violin case and setting it next to her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are we really running away?” Vanya asked softly, her tears having mostly subsided into a haze of shock. She raised her eyes to Letitia, who nodded once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” She agreed. “We are, but it’s not for forever. Just long enough for this to die down and for us to figure out how to help you with your powers.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya’s eyes widened. “My concert,” She breathed out. “I need to go to my concert.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shook her head and took Vanya’s face in her hands. “Vanya, that concert is tomorrow night and our siblings are going to come after us eventually. Your face is all over the advertisements, and we can’t risk you going there.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, Vanya,” Letitia’s voice was firm and brooked no arguments. “There will be other concerts, but there is only one of you and I’m not going to risk your safety. Not now, not ever.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was another flash of light just as she finished speaking, and Five appeared, looking winded. Letitia’s eyes widened in realization and she quickly helped Vanya to her feet, the brunette holding her violin all the while, and led her to Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can only take one of you,” Five explained. “I’ve jumped too much with another person hanging on.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded in understanding. “Take Vanya back to her apartment, get her settled, and then try to get a hold of Klaus and Dave. I’ll stay here and wait for you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s arm wrapped snugly around Vanya’s waist as he took the violin from her. “I’ll be back,” He promised. Letitia winked at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Her gaze moved to Vanya. “Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya nodded once, not trusting herself to speak for fear of crying all over again, and then they were gone. Inside the cabin, Letitia let out a shaky sigh and took a seat in a chair, her eyes narrowed as she watched the front door, debating on what she’d do if Jenkins arrived before Five. After several minutes, she stood from her chair and grabbed the rest of Vanya’s stuff, making sure it was all there. They couldn’t stay in her apartment forever, after all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That should be everything,” Letitia mumbled to herself as she shoved the last bit of clothing into the bag and zipped it up. “And enough for a few days on the road.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ready to go?” She spun around to see Five standing in the doorway of the bedroom where Vanya’s clothes had been. “I managed to call Klaus and Dave through the house, they’re heading to the apartment.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded and walked over with the backpack full of items on her back. Five’s arm looped through hers, and they disappeared in a flash of blue. As they did so, however, Harold Jenkins entered the house. His eyes narrowed as he took notice of the lack of Vanya’s belongings. His hands clenched into fists the further he got into the house. Finally, he let out a roar of rage and slammed his fist into the wall, leaving a dent in the drywall. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Klaus had gotten a call from Five, his first thought had been that something had happened to Letitia. The worry in Five’s voice, the urgency with which he’d told him and Dave to get over to Vanya’s apartment, it had all been typical of his usual worried act whenever Letitia was hurt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, when Five informed him it was Vanya that needed help, that they were running away and that this was the only opportunity to join them, Klaus had been shocked. He’d agreed to come, of course, but his primary emotion at that moment was just pure shock. Vanya was always the one who stayed out of trouble, who stayed safe and inconspicuous compared to himself and his other siblings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, the shock morphed into a protectiveness he hadn’t been sure resided in his heart. If Vanya was in trouble, it was bad. If she was in trouble, then she needed an army to help her, and god damn him if he didn’t join said army. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he and Dave rode in the cab alongside Klaus, Ben’s thoughts traveled down a similar vein to Klaus’. Vanya was his second favorite sister, and the idea of her getting in trouble for what was really the first time in her life was terrifying. She’d always had people around to keep her safe as a child, but it seemed they’d let Vanya slip through the cracks just like their first three siblings always did. His hands clenched into fists as he thought about how scared Vanya must be. How scared she must have been throughout her life whenever she didn’t have him, Five, or Letitia. His eyes moved to his periphery, to the curly-haired man beside him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus,” Ben whispered, causing his brother to turn to him. “How sober are you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His brother cocked an eyebrow. “Sober enough, why?” He questioned slowly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben took a deep breath as Dave craned around Klaus, managing to actually make decent eye contact with him despite being not being able to see him. He had to hand it to Klaus, he’d picked a good one. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want to be manifested,” He explained. “When we get to Vanya’s place.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus’ eyes widened. “Ben, I haven’t done that in years,” He reminded his brother. “I don’t even know if I can do it, even while sober.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave frowned. “Can someone tell me what’s going on?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ben wants me to make him appear as a ghost,” Klaus explained hurriedly before turning back to his brother. “Look, I get you want to talk to Letitia and Vanya, and if you want I’ll translate for you-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” Ben snapped. “I want to speak to my sisters, face to face. It’s been almost fifteen years since I last did, Klaus, and you’re going to make it happen.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus swallowed. “Ben-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I swear to God, Klaus, I will enact an entire afterlife of torture on you and take great joy in it if you don’t do this,” Ben’s voice had dropped to a low and dangerous growl. Klaus paled slightly. “Now, you have the rest of this cab ride to think about it, and then you’re going to have to make a decision.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, the invisible sibling turned his gaze to the sights outside his window while Klaus turned back to Dave. The blond man flashed Klaus a quick smile and wrapped his arm around his shoulders, squeezing his upper arm gently as he did so. Klaus sighed and leaned into his side. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, Klaus,” Dave murmured. “We’ll find a way to help them with whatever’s going on, and then everything will calm down.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just,” Klaus took a deep breath. “I just feel like everything is about to change, as if the world is going to implode on itself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave’s gaze betrayed the worry he felt as well, and he fought to mask it as he nodded slowly. “I understand that,” He admitted. “But you need to have faith in your brother and sisters. They’re doing their best to help all of us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus blinked back tears. “What if it’s not enough?” He wondered quietly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On the other end of Klaus, Dave and Ben’s route, Letitia and Five were in Vanya’s apartment and getting their plans in order. While Five sat with Vanya’s old laptop planning a route, Letitia was with Vanya in the bathroom and helping her clean off the minimal amount of blood that had splattered on her from the incident with Allison. Vanya shivered as Letitia wiped away the blood on her face with a soapy washcloth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus and Dave are on their way?” She asked. Letitia nodded once and ran the cloth under some water before bringing it back up to her face. “Where are we going to go?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia sighed and dried off Vanya’s skin before applying a little bit of lotion to the red and irritated skin. “I’m not sure yet, but Five will make sure everything is in order, I know that much,” She assured her sister. “Now, let’s get you into some clean clothes and put some ice on your face.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya hummed softly and followed her sister over to her bedroom, where Letitia quickly pulled her sweater up and over her head before dropping it to the floor. Next came her undershirt, and then Letitia backed away to let Vanya remove the rest of her clothing while she searched for a new outfit in her dresser. A moment later, she redressed her sister in a simple white button-up and a pair of jeans. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, come on,” Letitia held her hand as she led her out to the living room, where Five continued typing hurriedly. Vanya watched him in her periphery as Letitia sat her down before grabbing an ice pack. “Press this against your eyes and cheeks, it will calm down the swelling.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia pulled away as Vanya did as she bid, her body relaxing into the couch as the ice cooled her red and raw skin. She smiled down at her sister and squeezed her hand once, then turned and walked over to Five. He looked up briefly as she approached before turning back to the monitor as she moved to stand behind him. Her hands rested on his shoulder as he worked, massaging the tense muscles until he was less like a statue in the chair. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, where are we headed?” She asked gently. Five hummed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Somewhere quiet,” He decided. “I don’t want us anywhere too stimulating, and it’s easier to hide in the middle of nowhere.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Countryside, then?” Letitia suggested. “We could go up to the Pacific Northwest, near the ocean. It’ll be relaxing, and the weather’s volatile enough that Vanya’s powers won’t be noticeable.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya flinched as she recalled the harsh rainstorm she’d summoned when she’d hurt Allison. She hated how it had felt, to lose control. To feel like she wasn’t in her own body. She curled in on herself, hiding her face as she continued pressing the ice pack against it. A moment later, she felt Letitia’s hand rest on her back and begin to rub it gently. The couch dipped slightly as her sister plopped down beside her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Vanya,” Her sister’s voice was urgent and stern. “Neither of us are upset about what happened. We’re just trying to make this as easy as possible, okay? There’s nothing to beat yourself up over.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She looked up at Letitia, the ice pack falling away slightly. “I’m scared,” She whispered. “I’m so scared I’m going to hurt one of you or Klaus, or Dave, or-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s hand covered her mouth. “Then it’s a good thing I can patch people up,” Her gentle reminder caused Vanya’s eyes to widen. “And we trust you, Vanya. You would never hurt us if you could help it, and I believe that we’re going to be just fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We will be,” Five called out, causing the two women to look over. “Whatever happens after this, we’ll be able to handle it. I know that much.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya opened her mouth to reply, but the sound of a knock on the door cut her off. Letitia stood slowly, a glow beginning to form on her fingers as she went to the door and peered in through the peephole. A moment later, a smile spread on her face and she opened the door to reveal Klaus and Dave, who rushed inside before Letitia closed the door with a click and a turn of the lock.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Great, everyone’s here,” Five remarked while closing the laptop. “Let’s get started."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone!</p><p>So, when I wrote the memory sequence for this chapter, as well as the one in "I Heard A Rumor (Part One)", I remembered that many of you wanted to see memories of Five and Letitia as well as a couple of the other Hargreeves siblings more often. Unfortunately, that's very hard to include in this story in a way that flows so I came up with a compromise. Once this story has gone through the events of Season 2, and while we wait for Season 3 if it gets announced, I will be publishing a prequel to this story made up of our beloved characters' time as children. As of right now, I don't have many details on what memories I will include, but I will begin drafting it in the coming weeks so I can get an idea before I start the project up. I hope you are all as excited about this as I am, please let me know what you think of this idea. </p><p>Now, onto actual chapter notes. I did keep it somewhat canon with what happens to Allison's voice, but I did put my own little spin on it by forcing Allison's vocal cords to fuse and therefore be broken. From there on out, this season is going to end a little differently, especially with the other family members, and I'm very excited about it. It's probably the most original writing I've ever done for a story, so this is monumental for me. </p><p>Another monumental achievement, we cracked 100k words on this story! Woohoo!!! I have been smiling all day because of this, and I am excited to see how high the word count will get by the time we finish this story. Hopefully, we'll have a third season, and maybe even more depending on what happens in it, which I would love to rewrite in this fanfic, obviously. </p><p>Thank you so much for reading, I hope we're all excited for what's coming up, and please leave a comment with your thoughts and ideas! Have an amazing day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Changes (Part Two)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Mini family meeting, a rather gruesome encounter, and a threat.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Five watched as Letitia passed around glasses of Vanya's whiskey, his own glass sitting in his white-knuckled grip. Once everyone had a beverage, Letitia took a seat on his leg while his hand came up to rest on the small of her back. Klaus took a sip of his drink. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, what’s going on?” He asked slowly. “Why didn’t you call a family meeting? Or have the others meet us here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because recent events have led us to believe that they can’t be trusted,” Five shot back, his hand worming under Letitia’s shirt to trace patterns on the skin of her back. “And we know we can trust you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave’s brows furrowed. “What happened?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia and Five both looked over at Vanya, who curled in on herself. She shook her head slowly, all her words were caught in her throat as her vision swam between the floor of her apartment and the sight of Allison on the floor of the cabin. Vanya blinked as Letitia sighed and looked back at Klaus and Dave. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We found out that Vanya has powers,” She stated firmly. Klaus’ jaw dropped while Dave’s eyes widened in confusion. “Through a rather unfortunate accident that led to Allison being injured.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus winced and let out a low whistle. “Luther’s going to be pissed,” He remarked, earning a slow nod from Letitia, Five and Vanya before turning his eyes to the latter of that list. “I thought you were ordinary, though. How did you only just find out you have powers?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My…” Vanya swallowed. “My boyfriend, Leonard, we were talking about how I keep getting excluded from the family. I got so angry, and before I knew it all of the dishes we were using for dinner exploded. We decided to try and figure it out, but I don’t know why it only started up now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five sighed. “Lettie and I found out when we went to pick Vanya up from his place, Allison was there and provoked her into defending herself,” He continued. “But in the crossfire, Allison was injured and now we need to get the hell out of here before Luther and the others come after us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why would they come after you?” Dave asked. “They’re your family.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shook her head. “Luther has one priority and that’s keeping Allison safe,” She explained. “Diego will be reluctant to go along with it, but they’ll probably spin some sort of story where we and Vanya are putting others in danger. That will be more than enough to convince him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave’s eyebrows furrowed. “Are Luther and Allison like you and Five?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus snickered. “I think I’d have noticed if those two were screwing like rabbits the way Tish and Five do,” He remarked, earning a glare from Five. His eyes suddenly dropped to his glass. “No, Luther and Allison are just dancing around their feelings like they always have.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s disgusting,” Five muttered before taking a gulp of whiskey. “They’re both cowards.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Be that as it may,” Letitia interjected. “The point is that we can’t stay here, or anywhere near here for that matter. We need to get out of the city within the day before they manage to figure out what happened.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Out of the state, most likely,” Five corrected. “And we can’t go by plane, it's too easy to recognize us on surveillance footage, and Diego was almost a cop so he’d know how to get to that, so we’ll need to drive and switch cars along the way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave and Klaus shared a look. “And, you want us to come with you?” Dave checked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Five agreed. “We do.” He and Letitia shared a look. “But there’s one last loose end we need to tie up before we can leave.”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vanya looked up while Klaus and Dave both donned looks of confusion. “Leonard,” She guessed. Five nodded. “I can’t see him anymore, can I?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia frowned. “Vanya, do you even want to? When you called Five, you were distraught and we can only assume that Leonard caused you to feel that way.” Vanya avoided her gaze. “Vanya, if you were that upset when you called, then something is very wrong with that relationship.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just,” Vanya took a deep breath. “I thought he was trying to help me, and that maybe I should apologize for freaking out on him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shook his head once. “He wasn’t helping you, Vanya. Anyone who wanted to help you wouldn’t make you as scared and upset as you sounded.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What exactly did this guy do?” Dave questioned. “He seemed pretty normal when we saw him at the house.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya winced as all of her siblings’ gazes landed on her, as well as Dave’s. “He, um, he shouted at me, pushed me to train when I didn’t want to, and tried to keep me from practicing my violin.” Tears gathered in her eyes as she remembered his derogatory words towards her beloved instrument. “Even though he knows it’s my life.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus reached out and set a hand on her shoulder, understanding hidden in his eyes. “Vanya, that’s the start of an abusive relationship,” He explained gently. “If you’d stayed with him, if you hadn’t called Five, you might have been hurt or worse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, no, Leonard wouldn’t,” Vanya stammered, tears dripping from her eyes when Klaus shook his head and cut her off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He would have,” Klaus retorted firmly. “I’ve seen it, been through it, this guy would have done a lot worse than make you cry and try to keep you from playing if he’d gotten the chance.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was silence for several minutes. Vanya’s mind raced as it went over every interaction with Leonard, especially over the last few days. The glint of pure anger when she couldn’t make her powers work, his sudden appearance in her life, his attempt to push her away from her family, even the members she was close with, everything stood out in a little more detail now. Her hands came up to cover her face as the tears fell faster. Her chest heaved as sobs ripped from her body. She shivered as an arm wrapped around her shoulder, as the smell of Klaus’ cigarettes engulfed her while the soft fabric of his coat pressed against her skin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, Vanya,” Klaus murmured, his heart going out to his sister. “You couldn’t have known, not without help.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five watched as his brother held his sister, his favorite sibling in fact, closely to his chest and rocked her back and forth. He knew Klaus had gone through some shit, Vanya’s book had been rather detailed after all, but the idea of him being hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend sent an unexpected pang of protective fury through him. His eyes shifted to Letitia’s, which were clouded as if by memories, and wondered if she’d been the one to help him out of the bad relationships he’d been in. Five pulled her a little closer to his chest and resolved to be a little kinder to Klaus. He didn’t always have to be nice, but he wouldn’t brush him aside as he usually did anymore. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Vanya had yet to stop crying almost an hour later, Letitia, Five, and Dave left the room to give her and Klaus some privacy. They instead stood in the kitchen, talking in hushed tones and taking a moment to decompress. However, they were halted by the sound of the telephone ringing. Dave reached out to grab it, but Letitia stopped him. Behind them, Klaus and Vanya looked up, the latter still crying. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia and Five shared a look before grabbing the phone and putting it on speaker while gesturing for the others to be quiet. The other end of the line crackled before Luther’s voice poured into it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya?” The brunette said nothing, a harsh glare from Five cutting off any words she might have said in response. “Vanya, are you there? We just got a call from your boyfriend, he said he saw Letitia and Five kidnap you. Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s spine stiffened. Fury boiled in his veins. Letitia’s grip tightened around the phone. Her shoulders shook with repressed rage. Klaus’ eyes widened. Shock froze his body in place. Dave’s brows furrowed. Confusion brewed in his stomach. Vanya’s skin somehow turned even paler. Nausea and terror threatened to force the contents of her stomach all over the floor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya, please, call the house if you need help,” Luther continued. “If we don’t hear from you, or your boyfriend, in the next twelve hours then we’ll be calling the police. And, Letitia and Five, if anything happens to Vanya’s boyfriend, or Vanya herself, we will make sure that you pay for it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The line died with a click. Letitia took a deep breath. Five took a step away from her, pulling Dave back as well. Klaus’ hands came up to cover his ears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That son of a bitch!” Letitia screamed as she turned and threw the phone at the wall. The plastic made a soft crunching sound, followed by a clatter as it fell to the ground. “I’m gonna kill him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tish-” Klaus tried. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No!” Her voice was a shrill shriek. “That bastard, that unholy fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>bastard</span>
  </em>
  <span> is going to get us thrown in jail for no reason.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She started towards the door, her hands in tight fists and her eyes narrowed while a snarl appeared on her lips. Her body froze, however, when a pair of small and cold hands wrapped around her arm and pulled her back. Letitia looked over her shoulder at Vanya, whose tears still paved angry lines down her face. Her body went slack. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please,” Vanya sniffled. “I just want to get out of here. Away from all of them, please.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes moved from Vanya to Five, who nodded once. She nodded in response and carefully maneuvered her arm free from Vanya’s grip before moving her sister back to the couch. Then, she dropped to kneel in front of Vanya, her eyes still narrowed yet her anger was masked by a mask of beseeching begging. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya, we can’t let Leonard get away with this,” She murmured. “We need to clear this up before we can leave, or we’ll risk being named fugitives.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe Leonard was just confused,” Vanya mumbled. “Maybe-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus sighed. “Vanya, I know you don’t want to believe this, but Leonard is trying to hurt you. He is trying to take you away from the two people who love you most in this world, and he’s doing it in a way that could actually put Letitia and Five in jail.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya’s hands covered her face again, and Letitia pulled her close to hold her as she burst into another round of sobs. Eventually, a long while later, Vanya’s cries slowed to a stop and Letitia pulled away to help her put the ice pack back on her red and puffy eyes. She held it there for a moment before turning to stare at Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want to confront him,” Vanya decided. “Before we leave.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded once in response. “We’ll go in the morning,” He promised. “We all need to rest and plan out our escape.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do we even have till morning?” Dave demanded. “If cops are coming after us, we need to deal with this now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shook her head. “Luther is a man of his word and hates deception, he’ll wait twelve hours,” She looked over at Vanya’s clock. “So we have until ten in the morning to resolve this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Will it even matter if we get the cops off our backs?” Klaus chimed. “Luther will probably change his tune when he finds out you guys hurt Allison.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll just have to hope he doesn’t find out we did anything until tomorrow, then,” Five declared. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” Dave interjected. “We need to spread out, to get this show on the road. If you can give us directions, Klaus and I can get a head start and then you can teleport with Tish and Vanya to us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia and Five shared a look before nodding. “Good idea, Dave,” Letitia complimented. “We’ll try and get you headed out within the hour. If you can, try to be in a city after eleven hours. We’ll be able to stop and get stocked up while still being easy enough to hide, as long as we’re far enough away.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Until then, I need you and Dave to help me plan a route.” His gaze moved to Letitia and Vanya. “You two need to rest.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya opened her mouth to protest, but Letitia beat her to the punch. “If I don’t see you sleeping at some point tonight, we’re going to have words,” She stated firmly. Five smirked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure we will, darling,” He agreed. “Now, go rest. We’ll wake you up when it’s time to go.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded and helped Vanya to her feet before leading her to her bedroom and forcing her to lay down on the mattress. Her sister sighed and moved under the covers, her face still contorted with pain and sadness. The blonde hummed and pushed Vanya’s hair from her face before moving to lay behind her and pull her close. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m an idiot,” Vanya muttered suddenly. Letitia’s brows furrowed. “Of course the one guy who actually shows interest in me is a psycho.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re not an idiot,” Letitia snapped. “He’s an asshole. And it’s not your fault that he decided to try to hurt you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya didn’t know what to say in response. She knew her sister wouldn’t lie to her unless it was absolutely necessary, it was a special gift that only Five, Klaus, Ben and herself had been entrusted with. So, she allowed herself to believe Letitia’s words, if only for a few seconds, and didn’t say another word on the topic. For a short while, the two of them laid there in silence until sleep eventually claimed them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next morning, Letitia awoke to the feeling of Five’s breath on her neck and his arms around her middle and looked over her shoulder to see him fast asleep. She smiled gently and rolled over in his arms to pull him closer, the motion causing him to stir ever so slightly. Letitia shushed him softly and brought her hand up to run her fingers through his hair. It didn’t stop him from waking up, though, and soon she was staring into his green eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, dearest,” She whispered softly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s lips curved into a sardonic smile and he pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. “Happy Apocalypse Day, darling,” He replied. Letitia laughed softly and brushed his hair back with her fingers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, everything will work out,” She vowed. “And we’ll be able to go off together, with our own family.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm,” Five hummed, his fingers moving to trace patterns into the skin of her face and neck. “Klaus and Dave left, they should be stopping in Columbus in an hour.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia pushed herself up into a sitting position at his words. “Columbus is eight hours away,” She murmured. “That means we have about four hours before the police will be on our tails, and that’s with the liberal assumption that Allison hasn’t somehow told Luther what happened.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five frowned. “How could she? You fused her vocal cords together and broke her hands, there’s no way she could speak or write.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She can still point to a picture,” Letitia pointed out. “So we’d better get moving.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia turned to Vanya as she finished speaking while Five rolled out of the bed and made his way into Vanya’s bathroom to wash up. Within a few minutes, Vanya was awake as well and had joined Five in the bathroom as Letitia moved to the kitchen and quickly put together a pot of coffee. As she set it out with some pieces of toast, the phone began to ring from its place on the floor. Letitia spun around and watched as Five walked over and picked it up before answering. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re there now?” Five asked. A pause. “No, don’t go to a hotel, keep moving around.” Another pause. “We’ll call you when we’re on our way, you can tell us where you are then.” Five pinched the bridge of his nose. “Klaus, stop freaking out. The only people who would be able to follow us anywhere would be those from the Commission, and they won’t be after you. They’ll be after Letitia and me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya took a seat at the table and quickly ate her toast and drank her coffee while she and Letitia listened in. “Where are they?” She asked in a whisper. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Columbus,” Letitia answered. “Five’s making sure Klaus doesn’t freak out and get them killed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And the Commission is still after you?” She wondered worriedly. Letitia nodded once. “Are they going to hurt us?”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letitia smiled at her and took a sip of her own coffee. “They can try, but Five and I won’t let them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five hung up on Klaus and walked over to the table as Vanya nodded in understanding. “Klaus and Dave are in Columbus, and are going to be stocking up supplies before we meet them,” He explained while grabbing his cup of coffee. “In the meantime, we need to get to Peabody’s house and then get out of here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya took a deep breath and looked down at her coffee. “Do you think he’s done other things? To try and hurt me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was silence for a moment before Five responded. “Almost certainly, Vanya,” He admitted, the journal that was still hidden in his sweater vest pressing against his stomach uncomfortably. “But you’ll have the chance to get all the information you need, and then you’ll never have to see him again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His sister nodded once and then finished her breakfast in silence while he and Letitia watched her carefully. Finally, they were all done with their food and were donning their coats while reviewing their plan. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go first and then you two will follow in a cab,” Five decided. “I don’t want Peabody to try and call Luther or the cops while we’re all in a group of sitting ducks.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded in agreement. “We’ll meet you there,” She promised. “Now, get going. We don’t have long.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, Five left the apartment with a flash of light before reappearing outside Peabody, or Jenkins’, house courtesy of Vanya giving him his address mere minutes ago. His eyes wandered over the house and narrowed when he spotted the silhouette of Jenkins behind the living room window’s drawn curtains. He reached into the pocket of his blazer, his fingers locking around the gun he’d kept on him after the interaction with the Handler when she’d frozen time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inside, Jenkins walked back and forth across his living room, a gun in his own hand. His eyes moved across the coffee table, where photos of Vanya were strewn about alongside ruined ones of Letitia and Five from old magazines. He ran his free hand through his hair as his lips curved into a snarl. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’ll be here any minute,” He mumbled deliriously, a lack of sleep plaguing his mind. “God, why didn’t that buffoon listen?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’d been expressly clear in his desire that they not contact Vanya and instead call the police immediately, but Luther had decided to be fair and honorable when those receiving the benefits didn’t deserve it. Now Vanya would be tucked away, unreachable, he knew that much. Those damned incestuous freaks would make sure of it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And, to top it all off, he now had a massive target on his back for daring to get involved. Thoughts swirled in his mind of what they might do to him, images flitted across his vision of the tortured corpse they might leave behind. His fingers pulled on his hair in an attempt to jog himself back to reality, to rip himself away from the horrors he was imagining. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Except, it wasn’t imagination. It wasn’t a hypothetical, no. Jenkins shuddered as the notes Reginald had taken on how Letitia and Five could encounter a criminal and leave them almost unrecognizable. He swallowed and looked over at the door, terror mounting with each passing minute. His mind cursed him to hell, reprimanding him repeatedly for losing the journal, the key to his plan’s success. It was all he’d needed, and he’d lost it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I need to get out of here,” He eventually muttered. “Now, immediately.” He reached for the phone and dialed the number of the Academy. He’d need protection. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blue light flashed through his vision. “You’re not going anywhere,” A voice snarled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jenkin’s gun went off. Five let out a soft curse as the bullet embedded itself in his shoulder. The front door opened and there was a scream from behind Five. Jenkins paled at the sight of Letitia and Vanya standing in the doorway. Two more shots fired off, sending him to the floor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five!” Vanya cried out, rushing over as her brother took away Leonard’s gun while blood poured from his shoulder. Beneath him, Leonard howled with pain. “Five, are you okay?!”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine, Vanya.” He assured her. “Darling,” Five called out, turning to Letitia with a bored expression. “Would you mind?” He asked with a gesture at his shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hummed and strode over, her fingers glowing as she moved them to hover over the wound. A moment later, the muscles and flesh forced the bullet out of his skin before closing up and leaving Five without even a scar as a testament to the wound. Five smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek before turning back to Leonard.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well,” He moved to kneel beside the screaming man. “Seems like we have a lot to discuss, Leonard.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Within minutes, the man in question was strapped down to a chair while Letitia kept him from moving too much with the gratuitous application of her powers. Vanya, however, was watching in shock from the sofa across from the chair. Her eyes were filled with horrified tears. She’d seen him, her boyfriend, shoot her brother in the shoulder without hesitation. Her voice was gone as she watched her brother and sister move away from Leonard and take a seat on either side of them, with Five still pointing a gun at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ve been very busy, Leonard,” Letitia remarked. “Hurting our sister, accusing us of kidnapping, and shooting the love of my life in under twenty-four hours? Satan himself would probably award you a medal.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five smirked. “But, we’re not Satan,” He chimed. “We’re far worse, and far more protective of the woman you decided to hurt.” He reached inside his sweater vest and pulled out the journal, forcing Leonard’s eyes to widen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya gasped. “Five, where did you-?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your boyfriend had this up in his attic, along with photos of yourself, us, and our other siblings,” Five continued, only partially lying. “He’s been stalking us since the Umbrella Academy was still in action, and got ahold of this before he made a move on you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A frown marred her features. “But, why-” Her eyes landed on the coffee table, where some of the pictures still remained. She gasped and looked up at Leonard. “Why…? Why did you-?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, let’s find out, shall we?” Five offered while passing the journal to Letitia, his gun still trained on Leonard. “Darling, would you please take a look at that volume and tell me if anything sticks out to you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded and opened the journal slowly, her eyes moving from Leonard to the pages in front of her while Vanya peered over. Five’s lips twitched in a victorious smirk as Leonard struggled against his bindings as best he could with two shattered kneecaps. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Number One,” The blonde began, reading off note after note on each of them and their siblings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya paled as she read notes created by a handwriting that was most certainly not her father’s, and yet easily recognizable from the papers in Leonard’s house. Her eyes moved from the book to her boyfriend as Letitia reached the last chapter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Number Seven,” Letitia’s voice was as cold as polished marble, but her eyes gleamed with a burning, murderous rage. Vanya trembled as her sister read off the contents, realizing they were from Leonard. “Easy to manipulate, craves attention, my my, Leonard, you were rather detailed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard let out a muffled shout around the napkin Five had shoved into his mouth. Letitia snapped the journal shut as Vanya’s gaze moved to the floor and her hands tightened into fists. The blonde stood and moved to stand behind the tied-up man in front of them. Five watched her every move carefully, ready to strike as needed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s too bad that you’re wrong,” Letitia snapped as her hands began to glow. A moment later, Leonard’s wrist snapped and a muffled scream echoed from his lungs. “Vanya is </span>
  <em>
    <span>exceptional</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” His other wrist shattered. “She is </span>
  <em>
    <span>kind</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” His right ankle went next, “She is </span>
  <em>
    <span>intelligent</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Then his left one, “She is </span>
  <em>
    <span>perfection</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya looked up as her sister’s compliments cut through Leonard’s muffled screams with ease. Her eyes landed on her sister’s fingers as they trailed up Leonard’s torso. A small, vindictive, part of her mind cheered when a massive laceration appeared across his waist. A breeze formed in the air around her, one that grew as Leonard pleaded with his eyes for her to save him. Five’s eyes slid from Letitia to Vanya with worry. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And she is most certainly,” Letitia leaned down to whisper in his ear, a whisper that Vanya could hear as clear as the tone of a bell. “Not </span>
  <em>
    <span>ordinary</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A gasp ripped from Vanya’s lips as her mind went back in time, revealing memory after memory of when she was a toddler. The sound of a ringing chime from a tuning fork drowned everything out, even the sound of Leonard’s neck snapping. A moment later, she blinked and looked at the motionless form of Leonard Peabody. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya?” Five questioned, setting down his gun as he walked over to his sister while Letitia began undoing Leonard’s restraints. “Vanya, are you okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His sister swallowed and took a deep breath. “I remember,” She rasped out, ignoring the sound of Letitia moving the coffee table to place Leonard’s body on the rug. “I remember everything.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia looked up from her task of rolling Leonard’s body in the rug. “Vanya?” She wondered. “What exactly do you remember?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s arm wound around her shoulder as she spoke. “I killed them,” Vanya whispered. “I killed the nannies, the ones before Grace. And then, Dad took me down to the basement. There was a hidden room, and I stayed there.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leonard’s body gave an unsettling thud as it rolled over one last time, still within the rug. Letitia straightened and stood up, her back cracking as she stretched. Vanya’s gaze flitted to the rug before moving to stare straight ahead. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Allison did it,” She continued. “She rumored me to make me believe I was ordinary, that I wasn’t special.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia opened her mouth to respond, but a loud bang cut her off. The three of them whipped to look at the door, and gasped at the sight of Luther, Diego and Allison standing there. Luther’s eyes widened at the sight of the body on the floor. Diego’s eyes moved to Tish, wide and confused. Allison’s narrowed in a victorious glare. </span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get out of here!” Letitia screamed, her hands glowing gold as Five’s arms encircled Vanya’s waist as Luther began storming over, Allison behind him. She flicked her wrists and watched as Luther and Allison collapsed, each with a dislocated knee. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lettie-!” Five stammered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go!” She shouted, watching as Five disappeared in a flash of blue light. Her eyes moved to Diego, whose gaze had narrowed and whose fingers were resting on a knife. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tish, what the hell is going on?!” He demanded. Letitia shook her head and reached out to grab their dad’s journal before pointing at the photos on the table. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Everything you need to know is in the attic, and in Harold Jenkins’ lake house,” She explained. Diego’s brows furrowed. “That’s all I can tell you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five suddenly reappeared, his arm locking around her waist in seconds. Diego’s eyes widened and he reached out, lunging in an attempt to grab either of them. Letitia’s lips curved in a bitter smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bye, Diego,” She whispered. Blue light engulfed them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No!” Diego shouted as Letitia and Five disappeared, leaving him and his siblings with a corpse and a cryptic message. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, 556 miles away, two ‘teenagers’ joined a young man, his partner, and their sister in a car just outside of Columbus. Neither of them said a word as the blond man in the driver's seat floored it, sending them down the highway at well over the speed limit. In fact, the only sound inside the car was that of a young woman with brown hair sobbing in her brother’s arms while the others sat silently. This was how it remained as they continued on, with the world passing by in a blur. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And, in an undisclosed location, a woman with white hair let out a scream of rage as she stared at the monitor in front of her. Seconds later, the intercom system blared with a message that struck fear into the heart of every case manager as they struggled to send out orders to every temporal assassin they could think of. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“New contract, effective immediately for all assassins,” Dot looked up at the speaker in the corner of the room, “Terminate Number Five and Letitia Hargreeves. Repeat, terminate Number Five and Letitia Hargreeves.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey everyone! I am so sorry for disappearing for a few days, I just needed to get more acclimated to my classes and only just now managed to finish this chapter amidst my assignments. So, thank you for your patience, and on to my notes (of which there are very few...).</p><p>I hope you like this new plan for how the family is going to try and deal with Vanya's powers, I absolutely hated the idea of them locking Vanya up and refused to do it in this story. Of course, it will be complicated given what we saw at the end of this chapter, but I'm excited about it! </p><p>Also, I really hope you enjoyed how I did away with Leonard! It was very satisfying to write, and I'm so glad I no longer have to write the creep anymore. </p><p>That's pretty much all I have for today. Hopefully, you enjoyed this chapter, and I can't wait to see what your thoughts were! Thank you so much for being devoted readers, and have a great rest of your day.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. The White Violin (Part One)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Our lovely couple is on the run, and more than one person is interested in catching up to them.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The car was almost silent. Klaus was smoking a cigarette with his window down. Dave’s fingers drummed against the steering wheel. Vanya snored softly as she slept, her head resting on Five’s shoulder. Five’s eyes were set in an overly paranoid glare that shot through the windshield, and his fingers gripped Letitia’s knee tightly. On his other side, Letitia watched the world pass them by through the window. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are we going to hide out in another city?” Klaus wondered suddenly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes shifted from the windshield to the back of Klaus’ head. “We might have to,” He admitted. “Today is supposed to be Apocalypse Day, but Letitia and I stopped it, so the entire Commission is probably out for blood.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then pick a city and teleport us as close as you can,” Dave advised as he continued driving, his speed hovering just below ninety miles-per-hour. His hand reached down into the console and grabbed a map, which he quickly threw back to Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes moved away from the window to watch Five’s eyes scan the map alongside his fingers. His lips moved as he quietly muttered to himself while his free hand moved from her knee to scratch at his scalp. His eyes narrowed, ever so slightly unhinged, and his fingertips scraped against the paper of the map as he ran through every possible scenario in his mind. Finally, he tapped his finger on a little dot just off the coast of Lake Michigan. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Chicago,” He decided. “Plenty of places to hide.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus and Dave nodded in agreement and kept their eyes on the road as they pulled off of the highway and onto a country road while Letitia looked between Five and Vanya. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Take Vanya first,” She advised. Five’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth to refuse. “No, Five, you can get through to her the best if she freaks out, and taking both of us at the same time would drain you too much.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He scoffed at the challenge. “I can do it-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia wasn’t having it. “Go. You can take me next and Klaus and Dave can pull over to wait.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s jaw clenched as Letitia stared him down, her chin raised with defiance and her body tense. “ Fine,” He muttered while turning away to gently shake Vanya awake. “Hey, Vanya, wake up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The brunette stirred almost silently, her eyes blinking open slowly as if she were a feline. Soon, they settled on Five and narrowed at the sight of his urgent expression. “Five, what’s going on?” She mumbled blearily. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re teleporting to Chicago,” He explained, his voice tight with irritation no matter how gently he was attempting to be. “You need to hold on tight, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya’s eyes widened. “But, what about-” Her eyes darted to Letitia.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be fine, Vanya,” Letitia stated firmly. “We just need to put as much distance between us and the others as we can, and we need to plan for the Commission to come after us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five didn’t give his sister a chance to respond to that, his own fear and worries tying his body into knots. Instead, he and Vanya disappeared in a burst of light as Dave slowed the car to a stop in a gas station. Letitia let out a slow breath as they vanished, her hand quickly moving against the map with a pen from the center console, before throwing the door to the car open. Klaus’ eyes widened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tish, what are you…?” He trailed off as he watched Letitia quickly dash over to another car and check it over before yanking the unlocked door open. Within seconds, Klaus shot out of the car and sprinted over to his sister with Dave behind him. “Tish!”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Letitia reached down and quickly began hotwiring the car as Klaus opened the passenger-side door. “We need to get out of here,” She declared. “Split up with Five and Vanya.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Dave demanded. “Five knows these Commission people, he can keep us safe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He tensed as Letitia’s eyes narrowed into a glare. “I’m perfectly capable of protecting you two as well, and I refuse to put them at risk by having us all in one place. Now, get in,” She ordered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Three,” Klaus suddenly blurted out. Letitia looked up at him in confusion. “Ben is here, and I think he agrees with me that this is a terrible idea.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beside him, the invisible brother in question felt his hands clench into fists. His eyes squeezed shut as his body vibrated with fury. First his brother had kept him from appearing as soon as they’d arrived in Vanya’s apartment and now he was using him to manipulate their favorite sister. Never mind noble intentions, he wanted to kill Klaus. Painfully and slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ben…?” A small voice whispered. “He’s… He’s there?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That resolve vanished as quickly as it appeared, however, when he looked up to see Letitia’s eyes filled with tears that slipped down her cheeks. Instead, all he wanted to do was pull her into the tightest hug he could, and never let go. So, he turned and did something he knew would convince Klaus that he, his sister, and his wishes were not to be trifled with.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>SMACK. Klaus stumbled back as Ben’s fist connected with his jaw, the shock of the motion forcing a reaction that even Ben hadn’t expected. Behind him, he heard his sister gasp in shock. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turned, and his eyes widened as he spotted himself in the reflection of her eyes, pale blue and mostly translucent. There were screams as pedestrians spotted him. Shouts of fear and for someone to call the police shot through their ears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get in the car!” Dave shouted, grabbing Klaus and shoving him in the backseat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben hurriedly slipped into the driver’s seat, forcing Letitia to start the car and drive out of sheer disbelief. The tires of the car screeched on the pavement as they tore across the parking lot and onto the highway. Letitia’s breathing came in short gasps while her fingers wrapped around the steering wheel with a white-knuckled grip. Her eyes darted from the windshield to Ben every few seconds, forcing more tears to appear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tish,” Ben whispered gently. His sister let out a soft sob as she floored the gas and sent them flying down the road. “Tish, it’s okay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I should,” Klaus reached out in an offer to send Ben away, but Letitia shook her head quickly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare, Klaus,” She spat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben bit back a smile at his sister’s firm refusal to dismiss him. The smug satisfaction soon melted away, though, when he felt one of her hands reach out and grab his own. His eyes widened as he looked down and then back up at her. She flashed him a sad smile as she took an exit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I missed you,” Letitia stated. Nothing else needed to be said, he knew exactly how much she missed him, after all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I missed you too,” He mumbled, avoiding her eyes as he clung to her hand, the first real physical contact he’d had in over fifteen years. His eyes filled with tears as he felt her fingers squeeze his hand a little tighter. Ben finally had his sister back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, back at the gas station, Five’s entire body shook with fear. He looked at the map on the seat of their car and turned it over to see his Lettie’s handwriting. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m sorry, but it was safer to split up. Meet me at our place when this is all over. Love, always, your darling.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His hands clenched into fists around the map before he vanished once again, leaving the car and a gas station of terrified civilians to deal with the aftermath of his siblings’ actions. Vanya didn’t say a word as he stormed off down Michigan Avenue, just knowing what had gone wrong. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Diego stared at the contents of Harold Jenkins’ attic, he wondered how he’d missed this. His siblings had been in more danger than the average victim he saved during his vigilante escapades, and he hadn’t seen it. Bile rose in his throat as he stared at the photos of Vanya, Letitia, and Five from over the years, coupled with notes on how to effectively manipulate, torture, and then kill them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His fingers grazed over a picture of Letitia and Vanya sitting in a cafe with Five, the dinner they’d gone to while he’d attempted to go after Hazel and Cha-Cha. This sick son of a bitch had stalked his family, planned to hurt them, and he hadn’t seen it. Regret stabbed his chest harshly, the poison of the emotion spreading through his veins faster than any poison he’d ever encountered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He knew he wasn’t the closest to any of the siblings in question. Five had always belittled his intelligence, always put himself on top, never cared for anyone in the family other than Letitia and Vanya. His sisters were better, yet somehow worse in their own ways. Letitia, quick to shower affection on Klaus and Ben, had always been just out of reach. Blocked away in her own family with her boys, a little bubble of affection that Diego craved in exemplary amounts and sent him running to Grace. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, there was Vanya. Ordinary little Vanya, who it turned out wasn’t all that ordinary after all, who had never had a place in the family aside from the black sheep. Sure, Five kept her company and did his best to be her friend, and Letitia tried her best to be a good sister for the petite brunette. However, despite how tenuous those relationships could be, they were the only ones Vanya had. Diego had never had a part in her life that amounted to much besides being the hateful sibling who verbally abused her to no end over a book. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It all seemed so ridiculous now. He’d forced her out of his life, possibly forever, because of a book that had truly only spoken the truth of their family from Vanya’s perspective. He’d pushed away his sister, his weak and frail sister, over words on paper that made him angry. She’d been left alone in this world, without even Five to support her, for so long. Bile rose in his throat as he noticed the pure joy in Vanya’s eyes as she stared at the siblings she loved most. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course, that joy wasn’t meaningless. The cold and arrogant Five had not abandoned her, and neither had Letitia with her warm smiles and sharp wit. They’d killed the bastard that dared to hurt her, without a thought and without a care in the world except for Vanya’s happiness and safety. She had a family, albeit a small one, while Diego had nothing aside from an ex who was somehow still kind enough to let him tag along on police work, at least most of the time, and a Mom who, despite all her capabilities, was still only one family member. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But, Diego didn’t have a family. Other than Grace, he was truly alone. He hated it. He always had, and always would. A knife suddenly embedded itself into the bulletin board in front of him. He needed to fix this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He walked out of Jenkins’ house, past Luther and Allison, with ease and hailed the first cab he found. The ride back to the house passed slowly to his active mind as he tried to think of anywhere Five and Letitia might have run off. With any luck, he’d be able to find Klaus and Dave and ask them- no. They’d be with Five and Letitia anyways. He knew Klaus, that man would never let Letitia slip away without a fight. He’d have to check with Pogo, then. Perhaps the old man had created a method to track them, he wouldn’t be surprised. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The feeling of the cab coming to a stop shocked Diego from his thoughts, and he entered the Academy with determination before freezing at what was awaiting him in the foyer. Well, not what, but who. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hazel turned at the sound of Diego entering and quickly brought his arm up to block the knife before it burrowed into his eye. Another knife followed, digging into his thigh, but he barely reacted with anything other than a grunt of pain. His other hand slowly reached down and set the briefcase within his grasp on the tiled floor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck are you doing here?” Diego demanded as he unsheathed another knife. Hazel sighed and pulled out the first two knives to set on the table in the center of the entryway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was hoping to find Five, or his girlfriend, but I’m late,” He admitted. Diego’s brows furrowed in confusion. “The Commission put every assassin on the job of taking them out. They’ll probably be dead within the day.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All of the blood drained from Diego’s face. He… He was going to lose them. Hazel and Cha-Cha were a force to be reckoned with on their own, he could only imagine the horrors the Commission in its entirety would inflict on the blonde and her family. His fingers shook. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“H-How,” He cursed himself to hell as fear replaced all emotions and sent his voice back in time to when he could barely get any words out straight. “H-how can, can, I-I help them?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hazel sighed and pointed down at the briefcase. “I found that in the living room and adjusted the settings so I could bring it with me to try and send them to a different time where they could lay low for a little longer,” He explained. “But, something’s come up and I need to leave. You, however, might be able to take it to try and help them.” His fingers pinched the bridge of his nose. “I wouldn’t hold out much hope, though. My boss is pissed, and she’s not going to let them get away.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego’s eyes narrowed with a newfound determination, yet with a heavy amount of confusion added to the mix as well. “Wh-Why? They’re yo-your t-t-target too, aren’t they?” He spat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A small smile appeared on Hazel’s face. “I have more important things to think about now,” He admitted. “My time killing is over, just as it was for Number Five, the oldtimer.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How c-can I t-t-trust you?” Diego stammered, his body still fraught with enough fear to distract him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re just going to have to,” Hazel declared. Diego watched as he knelt down and adjusted a few settings on the briefcase. “I can send you to where Five’s girlfriend is heading, she’s going to need the back up most.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego stiffened. “She- She’s n-not with Five?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, according to my orders they’ve split up,” Hazel confessed. “We’ve been given a lot more detail on this one, my boss really wants them dead or at least out of the equation, and the fact of the matter is that she will be unprepared for the Commission.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who are-are they going after f-first?” Diego demanded, another knife coming out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hazel held up his hands in submission. “The first set of coordinates given to us was for the order for the girl,” He explained. “You’ll need to hurry before the Commission catches up to her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They were going to kill Letitia. The realization sent more fear into his system than Diego would ever care to admit, and he found himself walking over to the briefcase on instinct. He didn’t even give a thought to the fact that Hazel was giving him the solution to his problem, he just needed to get to his sister as soon as possible. Klaus was a good brother, and he knew Dave was a good man, but he also knew that having your lover there in a dangerous situation complicated things. Letitia needed a sibling there, or her own lover, so he would be there since the latter didn’t seem to be an option. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He gripped the handle of the briefcase. “Is this ready?” Diego asked coldly. Hazel nodded once. “Thank you, I’ll take it from here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The assassin didn’t say another word in response as he took his leave, a bright blue light enveloping him as he brought his own briefcase out from behind the table and vanished. Diego exhaled, then turned on his heel with a shout for Pogo. Seconds later, the chimpanzee came out of hiding. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Master Diego,” Pogo greeted. “How can I help you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pogo,” He swallowed as his fear continued to mount. “There are people who are trying to kill Letitia and Five, and Letitia left Five so she’s an open target. I need anything you have that can help me find her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The chimpanzee stiffened at Diego’s proclamation, a fierce protectiveness rising in him for the smallest, and one of his favorites, of the Hargreeves siblings. She may not have been his daughter by blood or adoption, but she was still his family and he would die before seeing her killed. So, his response was a firm nod and a gesture for the man in front of him to follow him to Reginald’s study. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“After your brother’s disappearance,” Pogo opened a drawer in Reginald’s desk, “And Master Ben’s death, your father saw it necessary to put a short leash on your sister in the midst of her grief.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego watched as Pogo pulled out what looked to be a small compass with a small device attached to the back of it. He looked down at the object over Pogo’s shoulder with confusion. The chimpanzee fiddled with a dial and soon enough the needle began to point to the East while a dull hum echoed from the device. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What is this attracted to?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pogo’s expression dimmed to pure sadness. “There was only one organ Letitia could not manipulate, and so your father decided this was the optimum location for a magnetic chip that puts out a strong signal to tell him her whereabouts,” He murmured. “That chip is in her brain, and it is what will help you find her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The device was light and small in Diego’s hand as Pogo passed it to him. “He was a sick bastard,” Diego muttered harshly. Pogo said nothing in response. “Thanks for this, by the way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It is no problem, Master Diego,” The chimpanzee assured him. “I just hope you will be able to bring Miss Letitia back, safe and sound.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego took a deep breath and tightened his grip on the briefcase. “I’m sure as hell going to try,” He stated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’d managed to get to Toledo before stopping, and were hiding out in a motel in order to avoid surveillance of any kind. On one bed, Klaus and Dave were snuggled up and carefully watching the news to see if there were any mentions of Five or Letitia on any channels. On the other, however, sat a brother and sister who had waited far too long before reuniting. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You got old,” Letitia murmured as her eyes moved over the translucent face of her second favorite brother, third favorite boy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben smiled sadly. “Everyone’s old to you, Tish,” He teased, earning a small smile as a reward. A soft laugh escaped him as Letitia lightly slugged him in the arm. “Don’t smack me!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s smile grew and her eyes filled with that warm kindness that reminded Ben of the cookies their mom made them as kids. The next thing he knew, her arms were around him and hugging him tightly as she had wanted to as soon as he’d appeared. Ben’s arms came up to hug her just as tightly, and he rested his chin atop her hair while his breath came in shuddering gasps. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” He whispered. “I’m so sorry, Tish. I shouldn’t have listened to Dad and gone after all of them at once, I shouldn’t have-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shh, shh,” Letitia’s croons were all he could hear over his own self-deprecation. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Ben. You did as you were told, and it was just too much. It was Dad’s fault and it never stopped being his fault.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tears that were almost invisible they were so translucent, leaked from his eyes and paved lines down his face. Ben moved from resting his chin atop her hair to burying his face in her neck as he sobbed quietly. Letitia said nothing as he did so, content to just hold him after so long without seeing him or knowing if he was okay. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The moment was broken, however, when footsteps thudded heavily in the hallway outside their room. Dave was the first to rise, his hand reaching out to grab the lamp on the bedside table as a weapon. Klaus watched him worriedly as Ben pulled Letitia off the bed to hide her behind a wardrobe. Knocks resounded from the door, loud ones. Dave looked back over at Letitia, who flashed him a thumbs up around the wardrobe. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave opened the door quickly, moving to attack, before freezing. His eyes widened, Klaus’ mouth dropped open, Letitia stared at the door, somehow unsurprised, and Ben couldn’t hold back the amazed laugh that erupted from his mouth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Diego?” The three boys breathed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their brother nodded, a stilted motion as he took in the shape of Ben standing in the corner of the room. “I’ve got bad news,” He admitted while moving into the motel room, the briefcase in hand, “The Commission is coming, and they’re planning to get Letitia first.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a crash as the lamp shattered on the floor of the motel room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shit,” Letitia muttered while moving out from behind Ben. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey everyone! I know, I know, this was super late and I'm so sorry about that. Unfortunately, this is probably going to become the new norm as I get further into the semester given the fact that I'm taking advanced classes for a freshman in college which makes me a little sad. However, I know my lovely readers will understand this, and I'm still excited to get chapters out. Speaking of, I also know that this chapter was shorter but I ran into a similar complication as I had in past chapters where splitting one long chapter into two shorter ones simply made more sense for the flow of the story. Thank you for reading it anyway, though, and I hope that even though it was short it was good! Please let me know your thoughts and have a great day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. The White Violin (Part Two)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The finale.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“What do you mean the Commission is coming after us first?” Letitia demanded as Diego set the briefcase down on the bed and ran his hands through his hair. “Is Five still in danger?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Apparently they see you as an easier target, and yes,” Diego muttered, “The both of you are in danger, which means we really need to get back to Five as soon as possible so none of us die.” He looked up and locked eyes with Ben. “How did you get here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus is sober, at least sober enough to manifest me,” He explained. “So I’m here to help.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Great,” Diego grinned. “We have a little more manpower now, fighting alongside Five will be a piece of cake.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben looked over as Letitia’s eyes narrowed. Klaus sighed and moved to help Dave clean up the shards of the lamp, noting the pained expression on his lover’s face. Diego raised an eyebrow at Letitia. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not going to put Five in danger,” Letitia vowed. “We’ll have to figure out a way to make sure they don’t go after him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tish,” Ben rested a hand on her shoulder. “Five is going to be in danger no matter what for stopping the apocalypse, the best thing we could do is go and help him and Vanya. We’ll be safer in a large group than you think.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shook her head. “No,” She murmured. “If I’m somehow the primary target, then I can keep them off of Five and Vanya’s trail. All I need to do is keep running, and they’ll be safe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can’t run forever, Tish,” Diego reminded her. “These Commission guys are good. I couldn’t even take out Hazel and Cha-Cha, and if they’re the best then they’ve got a hell of an arsenal behind them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can run,” She spat. “I can run for as long as I need to in order to keep Five safe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus stood up at that, his eyes hard and his body tense. “His safety will mean nothing to him when you’re in danger,” He stated harshly. “His safety will mean nothing to me when you could die, and I think Ben would actually agree with me for once on that one.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth to retort when Ben cut her off. “Klaus is right for once,” He admitted. “I may care for Five, but you’re more important to me and your life trumps his safety.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Great,” Diego interjected. “Then let’s catch up with him in Chicago. It shouldn’t be too hard to find him, he and Vanya stick out like sore thumbs.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Chicago’s a big city,” Dave pointed out. “A huge city, in fact. Finding them will be like searching for a needle in a haystack.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego shook his head. “Five may be smart, but he can be incredibly predictable. He’ll pick places with large crowds, major sightseeing places, they’re easier to blend into when you’re in a huge city,” He hummed to himself, “And ones with places to hide are even better.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Museums, malls,” Ben listed in understanding. “The possibilities are easy to narrow down when you know how he thinks. After all, that’s how Dad taught all of us to think.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But he’s been away for a while,” Dave remarked. “What if he’s changed his way of thinking?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boys all looked at the one person who would know that, and the blonde girl stared back at them with a deep frown. She didn’t want to say a word, didn’t want to give them any indication that perhaps it would be a good idea to go back to Five. Her desire to keep him safe and her belief that her absence increased his safety were too strong for that. However, as her family stared her down she found herself replying anyways. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s very much the same at the core,” Letitia admitted. “The Commission might have tried to condition him but it didn’t work very well.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego nodded once. “Then let’s go,” He ordered. “The sooner we can catch up to him, the better.”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letitia glared at him. “I didn’t say I was going to-” Her eyes widened as she caught sight of a flash of light, “Get down!”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Her siblings ducked immediately, with Diego grabbing the briefcase just as bullets shot through the glass of the window and sunk into the walls, floor, and beds of the motel room. Klaus let out a cry of surprise, one that was soon smothered as Dave moved to cover Klaus’ body with his own. Between the beds, Ben crouched above Letitia and kept an eye on the shooter, who had been joined by another person carrying a gun. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There’s two of them,” He shouted, the bullets that entered his body doing no damage. “On the roof of the building across the street!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego nodded once from his place below the window next to the door and quickly reached down to grab two knives. With a quick peek above the windowsill and a quick flick of the wrist, the knives sailed through the air and embedded into the chest of the two shooters, who crumpled easily. The gunfire ceased instantly, prompting Ben to stand up and look around once more. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re safe for now,” He assured his siblings, a quick glance confirming that they were all slowly getting to their feet. “But we need to get moving.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Agreed,” Diego murmured while checking himself over. “Sooner rather than later.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll get the car started,” Dave offered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego nodded and the blond exited quickly, the car roaring to life soon enough. Klaus took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair while Letitia moved out from between the beds. She locked eyes with her three brothers and let out a growl of frustration. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s just take out as many of these guys as we can before we catch up with Five,” She offered as a compromise, her hand extending to Diego. Her eyes scanned her brother’s expressions as he looked between her hand and her face before reaching out and shaking her hand once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Deal,” Diego agreed. Letitia smirked, and within seconds they joined Dave in the car before speeding off through Toledo.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, Five and Vanya were blissfully unaware of their siblings’ struggle and were doing their best to blend in. Of course, that wasn’t hard when Five and Vanya were able to go about undetected for the most part. On the outside, they looked like ordinary people, after all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their first hiding place had been chosen based on proximity, that was for sure. Otherwise, there was no way Five would ever find himself walking in the Art Institute of Chicago, a museum dedicated to a field he didn’t find terribly interesting. However, the building served its purpose well enough, it had a large enough crowd that they could blend into easily enough, and it was quiet enough to not trigger Vanya’s powers. After all, neither of them wanted to level a building to the ground by accident. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His posture was stiff as he continued through the hallways beside Vanya, his eyes were darting across their surroundings with careful precision, the Handler would be sickeningly proud of him following her teachings. Five let out a harsh exhale, forcing himself to push away the memories as he moved closer to his sister. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me, ma’am?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya looked up from the floor as a woman approached her and Five, the latter of which had been unable to stop scowling since he’d returned without Letitia. His eyes narrowed further at the woman as she walked over, three young boys of about fourteen trailing behind her. Vanya raised an eyebrow as the woman flashed them a quick smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just couldn’t help but notice your son,” Vanya and Five stiffened at the woman’s words and shared a look of quiet astonishment, “He’s about the same age as my son and his friends, and I was wondering if he’d like to join us on the tour of the museum?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five was completely and utterly flabbergasted as he stared between his sister and this random woman. Sure, he knew he looked young but did he really look like Vanya’s kid? His eyes narrowed from their previously widened state of shock as he scanned his sister’s face before glaring at the woman.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s my sister,” He snapped, earning a mortified expression from the mother across from them and the smallest of smiles from Vanya. “And I’d rather chew off my own foot.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, his hand closed around Vanya’s and the two of them sped off to the next wing, that little encounter distracting them long enough to halt their worries over their siblings. However, it wasn’t meant to last and Five returned to his anxious state within minutes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya sighed as she watched Five’s shoulder’s rise towards his ears and heard the soft and shallow breaths he took with each passing second. Her hand pulled away from his own and reached up to rub his back gently, praying it would soothe him somewhat. It was all for naught, though, as Five ripped away from her and shoved his hands in his pockets as his body curled further in on itself while walking on through the exhibit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know she’ll be okay, right?” She asked as she caught up with her brother, the two of them slowing to a stop in front of a collection of Monet paintings. “Letitia is strong, and she won’t leave you all alone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know she won’t want to,” Five muttered harshly, his eyes skating over the painting of Monet’s lilies. “But that won’t mean anything to the Commission. My employer wants her out of the equation, one way or another.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His breathing continued to quicken as he pulled away from the painting and continued on through the rest of the impressionist works on display. His ears hummed with the sound of the crowd around him. His mind screamed with paranoia as his eyes flicked about in an attempt to spot a possible attacker in the crowd. Behind him, Vanya didn’t say a word while walking behind him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That was not to say she wasn’t scared as well, however. Letitia was her only sister, at least the only one she actually thought of as a sister. The thought of losing her, and by association Five, sent icy fear into her heart that she wished she could quell with her medicine. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And that fear was pure and true. She knew that at the core of their little family was the petite blonde with hot chocolate eyes and a smile that was warmer than any hug, and that without her everything would fall to pieces. It was a fact they’d learned the hard way when losing Five had nearly killed Letitia and left her a shell of a woman for months on end that none of them could get through to. Then, they’d seen it again when they’d lost Ben. Letitia almost left them behind in her grief, and Vanya knew she’d never see herself or Klaus as desolate as they’d been when that happened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Losing Letitia meant losing Five, losing Klaus, losing herself. They couldn’t survive without each other, their need for love and affection throughout their childhood had cemented that bond perfectly. It was why Letitia defied the others to keep them safe, why Five wasn’t afraid to murder for them, why Klaus did his best to support them when he could. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was, as Vanya realized at that moment, why she wouldn’t be afraid to level the entire museum around them instantly if it meant she could keep her family intact. Well, at least mostly unafraid.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She knew that if she did that, though, it would bring the wrath of the Commission down on their heads with ease. Her powers were not subtle, they were a massive neon sign signaling danger that acted as a gargantuan target on their backs. So, she would keep it bottled up. She would keep them safe for Letitia, and she would never let the blonde go once this was all over. They’d all been apart for too long, and Vanya wasn’t sure they’d survive being separated for a second time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was this same fear of separation that plagued Ben’s mind as he exited the car behind Letitia and Diego, with Klaus and Dave following a second later. They knew they had to change their vehicles frequently in order to stay under the radar, and they could think of no better way to accomplish that than by plucking one off a city street. He let out a breath as Klaus forced him back to an invisible state. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, buddy,” Klaus mumbled as Diego passed him the briefcase. “Just don’t want to cause a commotion.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben shook his hand slowly and held up a hand to stop his brother from speaking. “I get it, Klaus,” His eyes moved to his sister as she tucked her long blonde hair into a hat Diego had grabbed from a booth. “I’m just worried.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klaus swallowed and nodded in agreement. “We all are,” He admitted, his grip tightening around the briefcase as he spoke. “But we’ll be fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you believe that?” Ben and Klaus looked over at Dave, whose expression was tight with worry and fear. “Do you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It had been pressing on his mind since he’d followed Klaus and Letitia despite his instincts telling him it was a bad idea. Were they actually going to be okay? Was he going to survive this, or would he find himself shot and bleeding on the floor fifty-one years after he’d already gone through it the first time? Dave didn’t know the answer, but he sure hoped Klaus did. So, he fixed his lover with his fierce gaze and repeated his question, earning a smile in response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course I do,” Klaus murmured while looping his arm through Dave’s and resting his head on the blond’s shoulder. “All we need to do is stick close to Tish and Diego and then we’ll be fine-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A loud bang cut Klaus off as a bullet shot just past his head and ricocheted off a lamppost. Diego let out a shout for them to run, and before Dave knew it he was dragging Klaus and the briefcase down the sidewalk while Letitia sprinted alongside Diego. Behind all of them, Ben looked around wildly in an attempt to pinpoint the shooter. His eyes widened when he spotted three people, each with a semi-automatic weapon in their hands, running after them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus!” He turned and ran over to his siblings as they rounded a corner and weaved through another crowd. “Klaus!” His brother looked over his shoulder. “There’s three of them!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His brother nodded once before turning to shout at Diego, who took a quick look over his shoulder before grabbing a knife. Another gunshot rang out. The knife careened through the air. A glimpse at the crowd behind him confirmed that one of the shooters was hit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We need to find somewhere to hide!” Dave screamed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia looked around frantically before spotting a taxi. “Get in cabs!” She ordered with a shrill shriek. “Head to,” Her eyes darted about before landing on a sign. “Head to the Hollywood Casino!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?!” Klaus demanded. “This is not the time to go gambling, Tish!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s right,” Diego shouted while pushing Letitia towards the curb as she hailed a cab. “There will be crowds, rooms to hide in, hotels nearby, go! We’ll meet there!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Two more shots rang out, and Ben gasped as he felt a bullet streak through his invisible self before landing in the outside of a nearby car. The other bullet was closer to the mark, however, hitting the cab door just as Letitia and Diego vanished inside it. Fear choked Ben, a fear that exceeded that created by Reginald Hargreeves by leaps and bounds as the rear window of the cab shattered with a crash. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tish!” He screamed before feeling Klaus pull him into their own cab. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His breath came in heaving gasps that shook his entire body from head to toe. His hands ran through his hair frantically as the cab shot down the road towards the casino. He could feel his grip on his delicate calm shaking and withering away as scenario after scenario involving Letitia’s death flooded his mind. Klaus’ words were muffled as he tried to calm him and Dave down. Everything felt as if he was underwater. He could feel the world closing in on him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’d just gotten her back. He’d just gotten everyone back except for Vanya and Five, and now he was going to lose it all. Ben couldn’t stop rocking back and forth as he bit down on his finger, the pain not even enough to job him back to reality. Would they become ghosts as he had? Would they go directly to the afterlife, as he’d been too scared to do? Would he be alone once more, this time without even Klaus? His family was slipping away, bit by bit, he could feel it, and he couldn’t do a damn thing to stop it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben wondered if this was how Five had felt when he arrived in the apocalypse when he’d been left entirely alone, when he’d been forced to see his siblings and the love of his life all dead. His throat closed with repressed sobs as he envisioned the scene, envisioned each of his siblings’ corpses and been unable to do anything. His hands came up to cover his face as he continued to sob hysterically despite Klaus’ attempts to bring him back to reality. He didn’t want to face reality. He didn’t want to have to consider losing his family. He didn’t want to grieve for his family, not after watching them grieve for him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That was the last thing he thought before the sight of Klaus and Dave’s blood spattering across the seats, pulsing from matching wounds in their shoulders, of the cab took over his mind. He was screaming. The cab slammed into a lamppost. Figures were dragging Klaus and Dave away, the two men barely moving in their grasp. Ben followed them, unable to do anything else. He was still screaming. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, 244 miles away, Vanya and Five had moved to another hiding place in fear of being found. This was a fear that had only grown in the past hour, and they had chosen the crowded Water Tower Place in the Art Institute’s stead. However, their fear of the Commission was being replaced by one far greater and far more imminent. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya’s skin positively itched with anxiety as people pressed in around them amidst their shopping while their conversations rang in her ears. She could feel energy thrumming in her bones, feel the desire to silence everything. Her breathing picked up with each step she and Five took amongst the crowd, and she knew Five could feel the changes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya,” He whispered. “Vanya, you need to calm down. You could bring the building down if you keep this up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His words did nothing to help, instead raising her own terror towards her abilities. Five cursed under his breath as she paled further and looked around desperately before spotting a restroom. There was a flash of blue light before he and Vanya reappeared in a small cubicle, the both of them falling on their knees from the suddenness of the jump. Vanya’s lips parted to release a shuddering sob. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, hey,” Five forced his voice to be a low and gentle croon. “You’re okay. Vanya, focus on my voice.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The brunette woman across from him sniffled and swiped at her eyes as tears slipped from them. His hands came up and rested on her shoulders, gently kneading at the flesh and forcing her muscles to relax. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Listen, Vanya,” He continued, his voice even lower when he noted Vanya’s flinch at any sudden sound. “It’s just us, okay? We’re going to be fine, you’re going to be fine, and we’ll be out of here in no time. Okay?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s stomach tied itself into knots when Vanya didn’t respond outside of soft sobs and whimpers that echoed in the stall and rang in his ears as a biting jeer, one that mocked him for his inability to help her. His hands moved to her back so he could pull her into a tight hug, forcing her to focus on physical contact instead. Vanya stiffened in his grip, but made no move to get away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya, what can I do?” He whispered softly. “What would help you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He felt his sister swallow and her body slowly relaxing under his grip. She took several deep breaths with her eyes squeezed shut and her mind racing at a million miles a minute. Her fingers clawed into the fabric of his blazer. Finally, she let out a slow breath and began to speak. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I need something to cancel out the noise,” She managed to choke out. “Headphones, earplugs, anything. There’s just so much sound.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded slowly. “Okay,” He looked up and pulled away slightly. “I’m going to go find some, and then I’ll come right back, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya barely had a chance to respond before blue light flooded the cubicle, leaving her alone and terrified. Her hands came up instantly, pressing against the sides of her skull in an attempt to drown everything else out. Her breathing returned to its frantic pace from before, forcing shudders through her body and icy terror through her veins. Her eyes squeezed shut, sending spots flying across her vision as she blocked the world out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was only when fingers carded through her hair, cold fingers with nails that scratched her scalp harshly, that Vanya’s eyes opened and the beginnings of a scream left her lips. A hand quickly covered her mouth and her eyes moved up to lock with a pair of cold green ones with a black veil slightly obscuring them. Bright red lips curved into a smile while snow-white hair curled around the angular face of the woman in front of her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Vanya,” The woman whispered sweetly, the hand moving from her hair to gently caress her cheek. “It’s very nice to finally meet you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The brunette didn’t dare make a sound, terror seizing her heart in a way that didn’t even set off her powers. Her body knew better than that. Her mind saw this woman for who she was, the largest threat she would probably ever face. She knew who this woman was without an introduction. Only one woman could elicit this response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, as she looked into the eyes of the Handler before feeling the cold metal of a gun press against her skull, she said nothing. She did nothing. Vanya didn’t know if her body was even under her own control anymore. All she could do was listen now, not a single part of her even twitched as the gun moved from her temple to rest at the base of her skull while the Handler moved to stand behind her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes only rose from the floor when a second flash of blue light skated across her vision before revealing Five. She watched as his entire body seized, as the earplugs in his hand fell to the floor, as his eyes narrowed like that of a predator while his lips curled into a feral snarl. The Handler’s responding laugh grated on her eardrums. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now, now, Five,” She cooed with a sickeningly sweet voice, “I believe I have a few someones that you want.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pictures were suddenly flung to the floor. Five looked down and felt the blood rush away to be replaced with ice water, felt his soul attempt to escape his body in a choked gasp. A strangled sob escaped Vanya, one that sounded muffled yet echoed in his mind louder than any word. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His siblings were in a line, each with a gun pointed to their head. Ben was there. Five bit back bile at the sight of bloodied gunshot wounds in Klaus and Dave’s shoulders and several pieces of glass as well as a knife in Diego’s left side. His gaze moved across each of them before landing on Letitia, the sight of which stoked the flames of his almost always-present homicidal rage. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes snapped back up to the Handler, unwilling to look at the images laying on the floor. His hands clenched into fists as another sob escaped Vanya while a delighted smile spread across the Handler’s ruby red lips. A growl built in chest, one of white-hot fury and possessiveness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let. Them. Go,” Five ordered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler cackled in response, the gun pressing further into Vanya’s skull with the motion. His sister sobbed again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Five,” She chuckled. “You know I can’t do that.” Her eyes glittered with malice and her smile grew when Five took a step closer. “And don’t bother trying to kill me and go there to save them. One wrong move and everyone you love dies.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You couldn’t be more creative than that?” Five snapped harshly, his body beginning to shake while his vision turned as red as her lipstick. “You couldn’t find any other way to get to me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler shrugged. “What can I say? I love a good cliche,” She admitted before her smile sharpened and her eyes narrowed. “Now grab onto the briefcase, we have an appointment to get to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If anyone walking past the restroom saw the subsequent flash of light, no one said a word. Instead, civilians went about their day without a word. And, in a large ballroom looking out onto Lake Michigan, three figures reappeared. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before Five could even try to get across the room, the butt of a rifle slammed into the back of his head. He cried out, falling to the floor with ease as his younger body buckled under the blow. There was a cry of his name, multiple in fact. Metal latched around his wrists while the barrel of a gun jutted into the skin of his back and a hand hauled him to his feet. His vision blurred as he stared at the floor, a floor coated in blood. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five!” His gaze moved up. “Five!” He knew that voice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s cries were harsh and rough as they tore from her throat, bruised and bloodied. Her right eye and cheekbone were darkened. Blood stained her chin and lips. Her body shook as she struggled to get closer to him, her hands glowed a pale gold as she desperately tried to heal him. Her knees slid on the blood coating the floor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five, I’m so sorry,” She sobbed wildly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lettie,” Five groaned, his eyes blinking several times as he forced himself to focus on her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Any other words were cut off, however, when the Handler quickly backhanded him with the briefcase, cutting the skin just above his eyebrow with the corner. Vanya was crying out for him alongside Letitia, his brothers were silent, and so was Dave. Blood dripped into Five’s eye, stinging it harshly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think that’s enough from you,” The Handler crooned, ignoring the mumbled curse Five gave in response as she turned to Vanya. “After all, you’re our main interest here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What… what-” Vanya stammered, her skin red and blotchy as she sobbed wildly. Her eyes skated over her brothers, even the one she’d long since lost as he flickered in and out of view, and her sister as they were held at gunpoint. “I’m- I’m not-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler moved to stand in front of her and gently cupped her face in her hands with a falsely morose expression. “Oh, but you are,” She assured the brunette sweetly, “You are so important, Vanya Hargreeves, and you were so close to being denied your destiny.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Leave her alone!” Letitia screamed, her shoulders aching as she fought to tear herself away from the gunman holding her captive. “Get your hands off her!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can someone please keep Miss Hargreeves entertained?” The Handler asked, her voice a louder shout to be heard over Letitia’s screams. “I need little Vanya here to listen to me very carefully.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before anyone could move, Ben shot to his feet and moved in front of Letitia as Klaus forced his eyes open. The blue figure of his brother flickered in and out of existence, blocking another agent as they crossed the room towards the blonde. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ben, no!” Letitia shouted, just as her brother pulled open his jacket to reveal the Horror. Her eyes widened as tentacles lashed out and wrapped around the agent’s middle before ripping them in half. “Ben!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler sighed and turned, murmuring a false apology to Vanya as she did so, before reaching out and grabbing something from another agent. Ben turned towards her, his eyes narrowed. A happy laugh escaped her as a flash of light reflected off the glass of a syringe. Klaus’s eyes widened and he jerked away from the woman. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus!” Letitia’s wails were ear-piercing now. Tears filled her eyes as another agent ran over, behind Ben, and slammed their fist into her left cheek. A strangled gasp echoed as she was sent to the floor, her skull smacking against it with a sickening thud. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes widened in horror as Letitia sobbed and shook on the ground. Their necromancer brother screamed for help as Ben started to run over. Dave lunged at the Handler, his eyes wide and unhinged as snarls escaped him. Diego's fingers struggled to extend enough to grab anything he could, but they’d taken his knives. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The tip of the syringe sunk into Klaus’ pale skin with ease, and a quick push of the Handler’s finger sent euphoria coursing through the raven-haired man’s veins. Ben dropped to his knees with a gasp. Klaus gagged and jerked around in an agent’s grasp. Letitia’s eyes widened as a shriek exited Vanya, one that sent the crystal chandeliers into a trembling frenzy. Ben’s hand clawed at his chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No!” Letitia screamed. Her vision was blurred with tears, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from her brothers. “Ben! Klaus!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neither of them heard her, though. All they could feel was the blindingly numbing high of an exorbitant amount of heroin, and the pain of being forcefully ripped away from the land of the living. Ben’s hands slowly faded from view, followed by his boots. Klaus shook in the agent’s grasp. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego and Dave were crying desperately, screaming for Ben and Klaus, respectively. Vanya was shaking on the ground. Five couldn’t stop tears from forming in his eyes as his brother faded away for a second time, this time for him to see. His arms and legs were gone now, he had fallen to the floor in pain, he was shaking, and Five couldn’t do a damn thing. Then, with one last look at Letitia and three whispered words, Ben vanished. Where he’d once been standing was now empty, just more of the ballroom. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t think. Her brother, her sweet and innocent brother, had died a second time. She knew he was a ghost, that he’d been an echo, but that didn’t change a damn thing. He’d been ripped away from his family once again, long before his time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes turned to the Handler as she stood across from her siblings. Her lips curled with a snarl. Her hands sparked with a bright glow. The ache in her skull, in her ribs, in her throat, it was all fading to nothingness until all that remained was pure, unadulterated rage. Her ears rang with the cries of her siblings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes widened as he spotted the glow behind Letitia. The curl of her lips. The defiant line of her jaw. He could feel the world crumbling around him as he screamed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a sickening snap, followed by the crack of a gunshot. Diego turned, but he was too late. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Red gushed from Letitia’s side, painting her clothes dark with her blood. Vanya’s screams halted as she felt everything slow to a stop around them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler smiled as she watched the blood pool around the blonde while agents helped her to her feet, taking care not to strain her snapped spine. Klaus and Dave’s voices strained as they cried out for the petite, bleeding woman. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, that was fun,” She murmured as her agents led her back to Vanya. “Don’t you think, dear?” Vanya’s horrified stare didn’t move an inch. “Oh, Vanya, surely you must agree with me. After everything she’s done to manipulate you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That comment got her attention if only through the rage it incited. Vanya’s brown eyes snapped to the Handler, filled with a dark promise that thoroughly delighted the woman. Finally, she had something she could use. A tool to bring the Commission’s plans to fruition.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh yes,” The Handler continued. “Her and Five, those two have put you through the ringer, haven’t they? Taking away your boyfriend, manipulating you into using your powers, taking you away from your home and family, they have just been on a roll.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya shook with rage as the woman continued. She could barely focus on the Handler’s words as Five screamed for Letitia while the blonde gasped with pain, the glow of her powers refusing to appear. As Klaus slumped against Dave while Diego did his best to keep them awake. As an agent pressed his knee into Five’s back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And that lie about the apocalypse?” The Handler scoffed. “I can’t believe they had the nerve to do that to you,” Her gaze turned pitying, “But don’t worry, we’re going to make sure they can’t hurt you anymore.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She looked up as the doors opened to reveal Luther and Allison, each with grim expressions as they entered the room. Vanya followed her gaze and gaped at the sight of Allison’s perfectly intact body before gasping in fear as she moved to stand behind Five while Luther moved to Letitia’s side. Diego started shouting, his stutter making him unintelligible to her ringing ears. Klaus’ eyes fluttered shut as Dave struggled to pull him close. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, please,” Vanya cried out as Five screamed for Letitia, “Please, don’t hurt them! They didn’t do anything wrong!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Handler sighed sadly and shook her head slowly. “Oh, but Vanya, they did. They’ve hurt and manipulated you so badly that you can’t even see their lies when they’re put on display. You can’t see how they’ve isolated you from everyone else, how they’ve taken you away to have you all to themselves.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya shook her head desperately as her cries grew to shrieks alongside Five’s. Across the room, Luther reached down and closed his hand around Letitia’s throat. Five writhed on the floor in an attempt to get away, his wrists stung as he fought against the cuffs, his eyes and face stung with tears as Letitia reached up to claw at Luther’s hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, we’ll take care of them for you,” The Handler finished with a smile. “Doesn’t that sound delightful?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The brunette didn’t stop screaming. “Luther! No! Please!” Her brother didn’t spare her a glance. “Let her go!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther ignored Vanya as he stared down at Letitia, watching as her eyes dimmed ever so slightly the longer he held onto her throat. Not even batting an eye as she ripped his hands open with her nails out of desperation. He knew part of him should feel bad, this was his sister after all. However, the Handler had explained everything to him and Allison and confirmed what they’d always known. Letitia and Five were sadistic, lying monsters, and they were going to tear their family and possibly the world apart if left unchecked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, he would do this. He had no other option, after all. Killing just Five and locking her away wouldn’t do anything to help them. She’d find a way to get out and take revenge. Allison’s rumors wouldn’t last forever either, so this was their only shot. The one shot they had to keep the world safe. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was also the cleanest bullet of misery and agony he could have possibly shot into Five’s chest. Every inch of him burned with hatred and sheer pain as he watched the one person he loved most start to slip away. He could see her struggles slowing, see the blood pulsing from her wounds, and he just knew that he’d follow her into the next life, even without someone murdering him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia had been his life and soul for almost as long as he could remember. She had been the brightest light in a sea of darkness, one that he’d cherished endlessly, even when they were apart. And now, because of a few well-spun lies, her light was going to be extinguished. He was going to lose her, and he couldn’t do a thing to stop it. Nothing, not even-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes widened as the ground beneath him began to shake. A frown appeared on the Handler’s face. The chandeliers shook too, a crystalline clatter echoing through the ballroom as Vanya’s screams came to a halt. Diego and Dave looked up in shock and confusion. In place of Vanya’s cries, a screaming wind ripped through the air. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five gasped and hid his face as the windows suddenly shattered, sending shards of glass into each of the agents’ backs as well as the Handler’s. Screams echoed before they were cut off by a flick of Vanya’s wrist. Luther and Allison stumbled away, the former releasing Letitia as Vanya slowly stood. The Handler gasped as she lay on the floor, unable to defend herself. Five looked up and his eyes widened at the sight of the woman in front of him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya’s eyes were white, and her skin glowed brighter than any fluorescent lamp. Her hands were tightly clenched into fists, and her legs didn’t need to support her as the glow grew and her body moved to glide just above the floor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You tried to take my family from me,” Her voice was a nightmarish echo, one that resembled the wailing of damned souls. “You tried to kill them,” Her eyes settled on the Handler as she floated above her, “And you…” She took a deep and shuddering breath. “YOU WILL PAY!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before Five could do anything, a gun jumped to Vanya’s hand and fired one shot between the Handler’s eyes. A strangled gasp echoed from the white-haired woman. Vanya watched, expressionless now. Diego and Dave remained in place, stunned to silence. Luther and Allison watched with undisguised horror and disgust. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s gaze, however, shot across the room almost as quickly as his body did once he managed to stand. His previous injuries were forgotten as he fell to his knees next to Letitia, who smiled up at him with blood-stained teeth. Her hand shook as it reached up to cup his cheek gently. Five couldn’t stop himself from leaning down and pressing his forehead to hers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry,” She rasped out, almost inaudible. “I’m so </span>
  <em>
    <span>so sorry</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shushed her gently. “It’s not your fault,” Five murmured. “They would have caught up to us anyways, there was nothing we could do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I shouldn’t have run off,” Her voice was weaker now. “That was stupid.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five hummed and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “It’s okay,” He assured her. “As long as you’re alive, I don’t care how stupid it was. As long as you’re okay, then we’ll be fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Behind them, the glow around Vanya grew as she absorbed the sound of the gunshot. As the light dimmed from the Handler’s eyes, the gun fell to the ground with a clatter. The wind continued to blow, carrying Vanya across the room to Five, where she landed silently. Five looked up as she approached, and watched in shock as her powers extended out in a white glow that surrounded Letitia tightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not losing anyone else,” Vanya vowed coldly as the glow dimmed moments later to reveal a perfectly healed Letitia, who stared up at her with wide eyes. “Never again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five opened his mouth to say something but closed it just as he grabbed a gun and fired off two shots. Allison and Luther gasped as the bullets entered their thighs, sending them to the floor as they attempted to come up behind Vanya. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His attack, however, was nothing compared to his sister’s. As he and Letitia stood, still slightly weak from the Commission’s torture, Vanya’s powers exploded with a vibrant danger. Two tendrils lashed out, locking around their siblings with ease. Garbled cries for help leaped from Allison and Luther’s lips as pain shot through every nerve in their body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Feel our pain,” Vanya snarled, her voice still loud and full of so much </span>
  <em>
    <span>agony</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “Feel everything we ever went through, </span>
  <em>
    <span>brother and sister</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes widened as she watched Luther and Allison begin to wither away. Diego shouted something, but no one could hear him over Vanya’s powers and words. Dave said nothing as he stared down at Klaus, the latter of which was beginning to awaken. Words failed Five as he looked between all of his siblings, completely frozen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You deserve this,” Vanya continued. “You deserve every second of this after everything you’ve done. Don’t you </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span> dare to think you don’t.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The glow grew the longer Vanya’s tendrils remained around Allison and Luther, and soon it was impossible to differentiate Vanya from her powers as they brightened enough to hide her from view. Five’s eyes widened as it did so, and fear lanced his heart as her powers began extending further, towards the rest of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s going to lose control,” He whispered. Letitia blinked several times, fear seizing her own chest as well. “We need to stop her, get her away from here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How?!” Letitia demanded. “Her powers are slipping, she won’t be able to stop herself and none of us can restrain her without getting hurt.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five looked around desperately, praying for any briefcases to be intact. A curse escaped his lips, however, when he realized they’d all been destroyed in the previous assault on the Commission agents. Then, he stiffened before turning back to Letitia. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you trust me?” He asked frantically. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyebrows shot up. “Is that even a question?!” She shrieked. “Of course I do, you idiot!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded once. “Then, when I say go, grab Vanya and hold on tight, okay?” She frowned in confusion. “We’re going to go back in time, nip this whole shitshow in the bud.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a nod of agreement and wide eyes, Letitia broke away from Five as he grabbed Klaus, Dave, and Diego, his plan coming out in deranged mumbles as his mind ran through equations. Behind them, Letitia watched Vanya carefully while tracking Five in her periphery as the boys moved to the center of the room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>KSHHHHH. Blue light enveloped the room as a massive portal opened above them, one that crackled with energy and brought an immeasurable amount of comfort to Letitia’s soul. Five looked over, his eyes wide and his gaze anxious. Letitia nodded once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boys ran over to her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia jumped and wrapped her arms around Vanya’s waist, knocking her sister out of mid-air. A beam of light shot out from Vanya, across the surface of the lake. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison and Luther gasped as they dropped to the floor, pain shooting through their bodies. Their eyes widened as they landed on the portal. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s hand extended out, linking with Five’s. His green eyes locked with hers, charged with energy, and shining with adoration for a second as he gazed at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get ready everyone!” He cried out, fear gripping him as he stared up at the portal. “This could get messy!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, they jumped. They weren’t the only ones, though. Five’s eyes widened. Letitia screamed. Allison’s hand wrapped around Diego’s arm while Luther gripped onto Dave tightly. The portal shrieked with energy. Unseen, Ben reached out to Letitia as they were sucked into a blur of blue. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, the ballroom was silent. The wind stopped. The blood continued to dry on the floor. And the Umbrella Academy vanished completely. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, I think it's safe to say that I should never be allowed near the angst section of writing EVER AGAIN. Dear god this was just... so painful and I legitimately had to write this in 500-word increments cause I needed so many damn breaks. That being said, I hope you had similar emotions and that you enjoyed how I changed the ending... despite how upsetting it was. </p><p>Now, I'm not going to make any comments of my own on the events of this chapter cause I need to give some quick PSAs: </p><p>Season 2 will be included in this same fanfic, it will not be a separate one, and I hope to start it in a week or two pending my schedule not being a complete mess. It is fully planned out, and I'm very excited about what I have planned. Once Season 2 has been written and while we wait for Season 3 to be announced, then I will start the prequel as a separate fanfic. </p><p>I do have a Tumblr blog now for my stories (username is @ao3bakeittillyoumakeit) and I take two hours out of my day, every day, to reply to any messages you guys leave for me on there. The blog will include sneak peeks of future chapters and whatever else you guys want to see on there, just let me know what you want. </p><p>I believe that's everything from me, all I have left to ask is that you let me know what you thought in a comment and that you have a fantastic rest of your week! Thank you all so much for being devoted readers, I appreciate all of you more than words can say.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Right Back Where We Started (Part One)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Our characters have been scattered, and a bizarre side-effect of time travel has restored their numbers.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em><span>On April the second, 2019, the Earth was </span></em><b><em>not</em></b> <em><span>destroyed in a cataclysmic event as the Commission had intended it to be. By the incredibly miraculous luck induced by her sister knocking her out of place, the White Violin’s power was directed off course. The beam of light skated across the surface of Lake Michigan, up into the sky, and eventually dissipated into space, sparing the Earth and its people. </span></em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>However, the one group of siblings who had been trained to prevent future events that could harm the Earth did not remain to do so. Desperation to protect their family on behalf of Number Two and Numbers Four through Eight pushed them to jump into the past. It was through the addition of Numbers One and Three that everything had gone awry, that the equations were altered so drastically. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It was through their actions that we find the Umbrella Academy in their current state. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>February 11th, 1955</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seita Kurokawa was worried as he looked between the essays in front of him, the watch on his wrist, and the rapidly cooling cup of coffee on the table. His foot tapped on the tile floor of the coffee shop, his pen clicked in his shaking fingers. With his free hand, he carefully pushed his already-slicked hair back further while directing his eyes back down to the essays on cognitive dissonance that sat in a sad and neglected pile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Any minute now,” He mumbled to himself while making more ruby-red marks on essay after essay. “They’ll be here soon.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Other patrons in the coffee shop were mimicking his motions, specifically the fellow TAs at Berkeley who were similarly swamped with essays to correct as they stumbled their way through their own doctorates. However, the rest of them certainly did not have a vial of Naloxone sitting in their coat pocket. The rest of them certainly weren’t waiting for an atmospheric phenomenon to occur in the alleyway across the street. No, that was Seita Kurokawa’s destiny. He was tasked to wait for a certain duo of individuals, ones that would need his help. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And so, he was rather surprised when a large beam of blue light shot into the sky ten minutes later, five minutes ahead of schedule. Murmurs ripped through the shop as people turned to look, but no one moved from their seats. Only Seita did that, only Seita sprinted from the shop once he’d gathered his supplies, only Seita sighed in relief at the sight of two men laying on the pavement of the alleyway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus,” He heard the blond one gasp as he sat up to look at the dark-haired one, “Klaus.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seita took a deep breath and walked over, his hands moving to his pocket and pulling out the Naloxone and syringe he’d been gifted as he went. The blond shook the other man harshly, his shouts growing in volume as the black-haired man continued to lay there, unresponsive. A moment later, Seita opened his mouth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dave Katz?” The blond’s gaze snapped to him. “My name is Seita Kurokawa, I’m here to help you and Klaus Hargreeves.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as the green eyes of Dave Katz narrowed dangerously. “How do you know our names?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seita reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. “An associate of Five Hargreeves gave this to me and told me to give it to you,” He explained while handing Dave the letter. “Believe me, I mean you two no harm.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dave slowly took the letter and opened it before scanning the words with greedy eyes that danced between the paper and Klaus’ unresponsive form. Seita’s grip on the syringe tightened slightly as he waited for Dave to finish, praying it would be soon enough. Finally, Dave’s gaze lifted back to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can save him?” He demanded with a nod towards Klaus. Seita nodded once. “Then do it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was no need to say it twice. Within seconds, Seita was sanitizing the skin of Klaus’ arm and pushing the syringe in before flooding Klaus’ bloodstream with the carefully prescribed Naloxone. Soon, Klaus’ breathing picked up to a normal speed and Dave let out a soft sound of relief, his hand coming up to pet Klaus’ hair while Seita pulled away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where are we?” Dave asked a moment later. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seita winced. “You’re in Berkeley, California, and it’s 1955.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For several seconds, Dave said nothing. Simply stared at the pavement. Then, a single word escaped his mouth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>July 13th, 1956</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One year, five months, and two days later, in the quiet chatter of Birchwood Barbershop of Dallas, Texas, a man named Jackson Birch steadily shaved away the hair of a young Black teenager named Elijah. On either side of him, his employees worked away at their own clients’ hair while soft blues music played away in the background. Soon enough, Jackson stepped away from Elijah with a blinding smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re all set, boy,” He declared with pride. Elijah returned the grin and reached up to gently pat his freshly cut hair before standing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s perfect, Mister Birch,” He complimented while fishing for his wallet. A moment later, he procured his payment and handed it to the barber. “I’ll be sure to let the boys at school know to come here!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jackson let out a hearty chuckle and patted Elijah on the back. “I’ll hold you to that,” He joked. “Now you run along, and make sure you get your momma’s errands done too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Will do!” Elijah assured him as he made his way out of the shop. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door shut with a soft jingle of the bell, the same sound that heralded Jackson’s next client. He looked over and grinned at the sight of his friend, Raymond Chestnut, approaching the chair with a gentle smile of his own. The two men shook hands before Raymond settled down while Jackson pulled out a cape and draped it over the man. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How’ve you been, Jackie?” Raymond wondered. “Business still been good?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jackson nodded as he started Raymond’s trim. “Very good, Ray, thank you for asking. I got lucky though, all the men around here seem to like this place better than Tucker’s,” He admitted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Raymond chuckled. “You’re much better company, I can assure you,” He promised. “Besides, this place has a far better quality than Tucker’s.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The pleasant conversation continued up until Raymond’s cut was finished, at which point the clock in the corner of the room chimed to inform the shop it was now five o’clock. Jackson clapped Raymond on the shoulder as the man paid before escorting him out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have a good day now, and let me know what you and those other young’uns have planned for the next demonstration,” Jackson ordered. Raymond nodded earnestly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh don’t worry,” His eyes lit up as plans rushed to the front of his mind. “We’ve got lots planned, just need to iron out the details Jackie.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jackson couldn’t hold back a beam of his own. “Sounds good, Ray, have a good evening.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Raymond nodded and paid him one last farewell before exiting the shop and making his way down to his own home, one that he shared with several of his old schoolmates in order to make ends meet. It was only when he disappeared around the corner that Jackson let out a sigh of relief and pulled off his apron before donning his hat and speeding out the door. Behind him, his employees continued cleaning up for the night, and didn’t say a word as Jackson made his way up Commerce and towards Knox. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course, this lack of attention also ensured that none of them saw the beam of blue light that shot into the air from an alleyway, nor the woman that tumbled out of the light just as Jackson arrived at the entrance of said alleyway. Jackson sighed once again, his heart racing as he reached into his pocket to pull out a letter. The woman stood up as soon as she’d landed and glared at him as he smiled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Allison Hargreeves?” He asked, relaxing when Allison’s eyes narrowed in recognition at her own name. “I have a letter for you, and a place to stay till you get on your feet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And why should I trust you?” She demanded, only confusion stopping her from using her powers in that moment. Jackson’s smile softened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This letter is from a friend of your brother’s,” He explained. “And I don’t think you know anyone in Dallas, at least no one from 1956 that is.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allison’s eyes widened at his words before her fingers reached out and snatched the letter from him. Jackson watched as she read it, and when Allison burst into tears he said nothing. Instead, he brought her back to his place and showed her to the guest room before making them a well-deserved home-cooked meal. Neither of them spoke as they ate, and at the end of the night they were silent as they both adjusted to this new reality. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>April 10th, 1957</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There were thirty seconds on the clock. Sweat was dripping from every inch of his skin. A low groan escaped his chest as he slammed his fists into his opponent’s stomach. The responding cry of pain forced his eyes to narrow. Three more hits, his ears were ringing. Cheers resounded as the man in front of him dropped to the floor. He let out a sigh and felt his lips curl into a smile as the referee held his arm up in victory. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The winner, ladies and gentlemen,” The announcer was too loud, as per usual. “Murdering Murdoch Cauley!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Light eyes that were grey in color scanned the crowd, his smile grew when they landed on a pair in the crowd. His dark hair glistened with sweat despite being shaved down a quarter of an inch away from his scalp. His body was shaking as he waved to his brother and sister, the both of them sporting the same hair and eyes, just longer and brighter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Téigh Murdoch!” His sister, Aoife, screamed delightedly. Her cheeks were rosy from the chill of the stadium as the damp April air streamed in from open windows and doors. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His brother’s cheers were unintelligible, but that didn’t matter. Murdoch was grateful all the more for their presence as he exited the ring and made his way to the locker rooms. Soon enough, he was washed up and eagerly checking his watch while pulling a letter from his coat pocket. When he finally exited, his siblings launched themselves at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jesus, Angus,” Murdoch cried out as his knees buckled slightly. “Get off me, you idiot!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Laughs resounded from his brother as well as Aoife, ones that he returned as he slung his arms over their shoulders and led them down the streets of New York. There was a slight drizzle in the air, but Angus’ hidden flask of Jameson was plenty to chase the chill away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, he gets here today, doesn’t he?” Aoife wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Murdoch nodded and took a sip of the flask before passing it back to Angus. “Twenty-five seconds after eleven,” He confirmed. “Apparently the giant is going to arrive in the alleyway right by the apartment, so we’ll have an easy enough time hiding him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you tell Seamus?” Angus asked worriedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course I did,” Murdoch scoffed. “Couldn’t exactly sneak a man as big as him past the bastard, could I? Besides, he’s my best friend.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aoife’s lips pursed. “But can he keep a secret?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her brother rolled his eyes before spouting assurance after assurance as they made their way over to the alley beside their apartment complex. Inside it, piles of rubbish sat alongside a rather haggard homeless man, one that strangely resembled a malnourished rat with his features. However, the siblings paid him no mind as they looked up at the sky. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, what exactly is going to-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A massive crack of lightning cut across the sky, followed by a clap of thunder as a blue light ripped through the air. Angus’ eyes widened as his question died in his throat while others bubbled up as a new figure dropped from the sky, landing on the pavement with a loud thud. Murdoch grinned as the light dimmed to reveal a large man with bright blonde hair and pale green eyes stood slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Allison?” The man called out. The siblings shared a look and shook their heads slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not Allison, bud,” Murdoch called out, earning the man’s attention. “But we are here to help you, Luther Hargreeves.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How did you…?” Luther trailed off in shock as he stared at the three Irish siblings, their pale faces only illuminated by the dim light of streetlamps. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“One of your brothers sent us a message,” Murdoch explained. “Seems like you’ve gotten yourself stuck here, in 1957.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>None of them were prepared for Luther to pass out, and neither was Seamus McMurray when he was called to help them bring him upstairs, but they were able to haul him up the stairs to their apartment with little to no issues given the combined strength of the four of them. In the end, they ended up waiting till morning for Luther to awaken, only to then have him pass out again upon learning the contents of the letter they bestowed upon him. All in all, an eventful time for the Cauley siblings and Mister McMurray. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>December 13th, 1959</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Little Havana was quiet when Marcella de Socarraz arrived at her bakery at half-past four in the morning to prepare her treats for the day alongside her three sisters and two brothers while her mother and father continued sleeping. As she mixed the batter for the tres leches cakes, the second youngest Katalin worked away at the guava jelly for the Brazo de Gitanos. Marcella looked up as the youngest child, Guadalupe, entered the kitchen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“¿Qué necesitas, Lupita?” She asked with a quirk of her brow. The seventeen-year-old rolled her eyes at the nickname. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alejo and Rosario are fighting over who has to mop the floor again,” She explained while rolling her sleeves up and making her way over to another counter and beginning to measure out ingredients for the turrones. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marcella scowled as she heard a crash echo from the front of the bakery, which doubled as a small cafe. “And where is Pastora?” She demanded. Guadalupe shrugged. “Cristo that girl is the only one who can talk them down.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Last time I saw her she was taking out the trash,” Katalin piped up while removing a pot full of guava jelly from the stove. “Tal vez ella esta fumando.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A groan ripped from Marcella and she quickly poured the batter into pans before stalking outside to the back alley. Sure enough, the second oldest, Pastora, was smoking her way through a cigarette and watching the stars silently. Marcella’s lips pursed and she stalked over, her tiny heels clicking against the ground and catching her sister’s attention. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maldita sea, ¿qué quieres?” Pastora wondered with a slight glare in her older sister’s direction. Marcella pinched the bridge of her nose. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nuestros hermanos son idiotas,” She explained. “I need you to straighten them out and then come make the dulce de leche, now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pastora’s scowl deepened, but she said nothing in response. Instead, she quickly put out her cigarette and made her way back into the bakery, where a cacophony of shouts soon echoed from. Marcella sighed and waited for it to stop, at which point she reentered the bakery to see Alejo working away at the dough for the pastelitos. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t overwork the dough,” She reminded him while slotting trays of cake batter into the oven. Alejo grinned at his oldest sister and winked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Claro, claro, Marcie,” He teased, earning a smack to the back of his head when his sister walked past him. “Ay! What was that for?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re being annoying,” Marcella replied simply. “Is Rosario mopping?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Si,” Alejo nodded, “He’s cleaning the windows too while I help out back here.” His eyes moved to the clock above the pastry case. “When is our friend arriving?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marcella rolled her eyes and quickly poured some oil into a couple of pots on the stove. “I already told you last night, he’ll get here fifteen minutes before opening,” She sighed and turned on the flame before turning and grabbing ingredients. “Plenty of time to get him calmed down and possibly to the house.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katalin scoffed from her place beside Alejo. “After hearing about what a hothead he is, I’d be surprised if you could even talk to him before he runs off,” She remarked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And this is why you are the cynical one, pequeña Katalin,” Marcella teased, her eyes flicking over her sister’s short stature. “Now, let’s focus. He’s not going to be here for a few hours.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the end, and much to Marcella’s displeasure, their special guest was late. Instead of fifteen minutes before opening, Marcella and Pastora watched as Diego Hargreeves tumbled from the sky in a flash of blue nearly two hours later. His eyes widened as they landed on the two women. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who are you?” He demanded. “Where am I?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marcella beamed, the smile somewhat tense as she did so. “My name is Marcella de Socarraz, this is my sister Pastora, and you’re in Miami, Florida,” A twinge of pity spiked her chest as Diego’s eyes widened in horror. “The year is 1959, by the way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego spun in a small circle, his initial defensive anger melting away to worry. “Where are the others?” He whispered to himself. Tears stung at his eyes. “Where did they go?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pastora shared a look with her sister before taking a step forward. “Diego,” She called out, forcing him to look up. “One of your brothers, he sent us a message through an old friend for us. We’re supposed to help you get back to him and your other siblings.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How are you going to do that?” He wondered coldly, his eyes narrowed. Marcella sighed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ve got a letter for you back at our house,” She explained. “If you’re willing to wait for our shifts to be over, we can take you there and catch you up on everything.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego stiffened as he looked between the two women, his gaze cold and calculating as it scanned their emotions and intentions. Eventually, having found no threat, he allowed himself to follow them into the bakery, taking a spot in a corner for the remainder of the day. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That night, when he read the letter the sisters had received, he found his fist inches deep in a wall. Marcella said nothing when she saw it, merely offered him a place at their table for dinner, which he declined. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That night, several criminals were caught by the Kraken’s deadly blades. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>November 25th, 1963</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, still being catapulted across time, Letitia gasped as the whirlwind around them yanked on their bodies. Beside her, Vanya screamed and clutched her skull in pain, only still attached to her sister through the blonde’s stubborn grasp around her waist. On Letitia’s other side, Five’s eyes watered as the wind increased. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hold on!” He shouted desperately. “Don’t let go!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m trying!” Letitia cried out, her arm tightening on Vanya’s waist while Five’s hand held hers in a vice grip. “I don’t have a good hold on Vanya, though!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five growled and blinked furiously as the wind continued. “It’s all Luther and Allison’s fault!” He explained over the roaring wind. “We’re going to get spun off course because those </span>
  <em>
    <span>idiots</span>
  </em>
  <span> jumped on at the last second, so don’t let go!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>However, his cries of instructions couldn’t get through to their younger sister. Instead, in a pain-induced haze, a well-aimed kick at Letitia caused the blonde to gasp and relax her hold ever so slightly. Letitia screamed and reached out, grabbing Vanya by her arm and holding on to her for dear life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vanya!” Five and Letitia shrieked. “No!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their sister screamed once more, pain lancing her mind and body with each passing second. Her legs writhed and kicked, her throat was raw and nearly bloody, her skin continued to glow. Letitia’s grip began to slip, the fabric of Vanya’s shirt sliding against her fingers easily. The blonde sobbed desperately, her lover struggled to move to grab Vanya tightly with his own free hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It just wasn’t meant to be, however. With a blast of energy, Vanya catapulted away from her siblings and out of the blur of blue. Five couldn’t hear his own screams anymore, couldn’t even hear Letitia’s. The whirlwind was too loud, roaring around them as Five tugged Letitia into his arms, pressing her against his chest tightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hold on tightly!” He ordered while his fingers tightened around her arms, his grip white-knuckled as he did so. Letitia nodded against his chest. “We’re going to land in a moment!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And land they did, with Five’s spine colliding with wet pavement and the wind exiting his lungs in a gasp while Letitia hid her face from view. They gasped for air, their bodies shaking as they lay on the pavement. Above them, the portal shuddered violently before disappearing, blowing a massive gust of dust-filled air out of the alleyway they’d landed in. Letitia slowly raised her head from Five’s chest, her eyes widening at the sound of gunshots. Below her, Five struggled to calm his racing heart. Standing a few feet away from them, a figure gasped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five…? Tish…?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The lovers in question stiffened at the sound of their names. They slowly looked towards the speaker, and both of them gaped at the sight in front of them. Letitia scrambled off Five and covered her mouth in shock. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben looked down at his hands, his normal hands. He reached up and touched his face, feeling a pulse beneath the skin and warmth under his fingertips. His eyes landed on his siblings, both of whom had stubborn tears in their eyes and expressions of utter bewilderment. He didn’t have long to dwell on that, though, before his sister launched herself at him, her arms locking around his neck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the hell…?” Five breathed out as Letitia hugged a </span>
  <em>
    <span>living </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ben Hargreeves. “How did you…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia pulled away from Ben and cupped his face gently while looking him over. “Five, what did you do?!” She asked, overjoyed and confused all at the same time as she turned to face him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five blinked several times, staring at his long-dead brother in shock. “I have no fucking clue,” He eventually admitted, taking a step closer as his mind raced. “But I think it’s because we traveled with his soul to a time when Ben wasn’t dead. Therefore, his soul has a living body.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So,” Ben’s eyes widened as he felt himself speak, the sensation somehow feeling stronger than when he was a ghost. “I’m alive? I’m not dreaming?” He checked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yep,” Five chirped. “Somehow, you’re alive and even with my best guess I have no clue how it happened, especially since Klaus couldn’t conjure you when we jumped.”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes widened. “No, he couldn’t, but Ben always follows Klaus around, even when he’s not sober. And Allison and Luther threw off the equations, which were tenuous at best given how little we actually know about time travel.” She pointed out. “Maybe that’s why?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Any response to her question didn’t arrive, though, as a cacophony of gunshots echoed from the mouth of the alleyway. Ben and Five quickly moved in front of Letitia, who couldn’t help the smile that appeared at their usual protective instincts. The three of them quickly rushed to the mouth of the alleyway and gaped at the sight of soldiers and tanks making their way up a destroyed street. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the hell happened here?” Ben whispered in shock. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five didn’t respond, though, and instead dove to the ground to grab a nearby newspaper. Letitia and Ben peered over his shoulder as he read the headline aloud. “‘Soviets Attack US’?!” He looked up as soldiers fired rounds of bullets at each other. “No, this can’t be right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think it is, dearest,” Letitia whispered before turning with a yellow glow around her hands and snapping a soldier’s neck as he ran up behind them. “Otherwise that wouldn’t have just happened.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben and Five glared at the dead soldier before turning back to the wreckage and moving further down the street. “But what caused the Soviet Union to attack us?” Ben demanded. “That’s nowhere in the history books!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think the question is what the hell did we do this time?!” Five shouted as bullets shot through the air, only missing them due to them originating from American soldiers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Any more words he would have said, however, were soon cut off by a shell firing from a nearby tank. A gasp escaped Letitia as Ben and Five yanked her behind them, one that they echoed when they watched the shell stop mere inches in front of…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vanya? Letitia’s eyes widened as she watched her sister repel the shell, her eyes a blinding white and her body hovering several feet above the ground. Soon enough, the shell exploded into shrapnel that found its way into nearby Russian soldiers’ bodies. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that Vanya?!” Ben cried out. His siblings nodded slowly while his eyes moved to three running figures, the sight of which caused him to laugh softly. “Klaus! Dave!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who’s that with them?!” Five wondered as he spotted his brother, Dave, and a Japanese man running just behind them. He was older than them, likely in his early forties, and carrying a gun similar to Dave’s. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That query was soon forgotten, though, when he watched as Klaus brought forth a wave of deceased soldiers with a shout, the blue figures rushing past him with their own battle cries spilling from their lips. Letitia’s eyes gleamed with pride, as did Ben’s before they all screamed as a Russian took aim at Klaus and Dave, a missile at the ready. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klaus!” Letitia shrieked, her hands about to glow when someone jumped in front of the missile’s path. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther let out a shout as the missile impacted with his spine, the flames and metal bouncing off his skin with ease as his leathery skin shielded them from the blast. Then, two men and a woman moved to his side, each with guns of their own and hungry grins on their pale faces. Five and Letitia gaped in shock while Ben just stared with wide eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” The sudden shout caused the three of them to turn and their surprise to skyrocket at the sight of Allison standing there, grinning at three Russian soldiers. “I heard a rumor that I blew your minds.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben bit back a gag as he watched the soldiers’ skulls slowly exploded from the inside out, bubbling and burning with brain matter until their bodies dropped to the ground. Next to him, Five and Letitia held similar expressions of disgust and quickly looked away before their gazes landed on the last of their siblings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego looked around him as soldiers crowded the base of the car that he stood upon. The smallest of smiles appeared on his face as the soldiers all fired at once while his body launched into the air, twisting slowly as the bullets suddenly shot off course. A chorus of shouts heralded his landing as the bullets ripped into the soldiers once more, killing them instantly. Behind him, a tall woman quickly turned and ripped open a grenade to toss to a nearby group of men. Five’s eyes widened as Diego’s eyes met his. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five, you sick son of a bitch, where the hell have you been-” He froze as his eyes moved to Ben. “What the fuck is going on?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His brother never got a chance to respond, neither of them did as a sudden zap of energy echoed behind them and his sister. The trio turned and their eyes widened at the sight of Hazel standing behind them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you wanna live, come with me,” He ordered, his dark eyes a stark contrast to his now white hair and long gray beard. Five gaped at the man. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hazel,” He swallowed and looked back over at the battlefield. “What are you doing here, and what the hell’s going on here?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia watched as the ex-Commission agent shook his head. “There’s no time to explain,” He declared before pointing at the sky as objects careened across it. “Those are nukes, old-timer!”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben and Five both let out gasps of horror while Letitia’s eyes welled with tears before moving to land on Klaus and Dave. She moved to help them, but Five grabbed her wrist. Letitia turned, her eyes wide and confused. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We can’t save them if we’re dead,” He whispered, his voice full of pain. Her eyes moved to Ben, who nodded in agreement, before landing on Hazel. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can help us?” She demanded. Hazel nodded once. “Then do it now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And so, with a flash of blue light, the trio of Number Five, Number Six, and Number Eight disappeared. Behind them, the remains of the Umbrella Academy and their newfound allies watched as the nukes landed, sending up clouds of heat, smoke, and a shockwave that ripped up the Earth, and their lives along with it. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>SEASON 2 HAS BEGUN!!! We now have an expanded cast, made up of my own minor original characters, which I am very excited about, and that also includes BEN!!! I really debated on whether or not to bring Ben back and decided that it was worth it for this season and for some WELL DESERVED CLOSURE on behalf of the rest of the Hargreeves siblings. And, the best part is that since time travel is so very easy to mess with since it's fictional, I got to do it!! </p><p>Please let me know what you thought of how I switched things up a bit, and I can't wait to get the next chapter up! Have a great day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Right Back Where We Started (Part Two)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Our trio loses an ally, makes a new acquaintance, and finds another one of their siblings.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Letitia gasped as she stumbled across an old, cracked sidewalk with Five and Ben, Hazel just behind them as they took in their new surroundings. Bile rose in her throat as she forced herself to ignore what she and two of her favorite boys had condemned the rest of their families to. She looked up as Ben set a hand on her shoulder, and saw her own regret mirrored in his eyes. Her own arm extended out and wrapped around his waist in a gentle embrace, the slightest shock hitting her when she remembered he was actually there, that he was living and breathing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five, however, was quick to cut to the chase as he whirled around to face Hazel. “Okay, what the hell was that?” He demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The end of the world, November 25th, 1963,” Hazel stated dully, his eyes moving lazily over their surroundings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben’s gaze snapped to Hazel. “I’m sorry, 1963?” He wondered. Hazel nodded once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes narrowed. “You know, Hazel, I’m no history buff, but I don’t recall there being a nuclear holocaust.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A light scoff escaped the ex-Commission agent. “No shit,” He agreed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, our family they-” Letitia’s eyes stung as she spoke. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Died, like everyone else,” Hazel finished, a sad gleam in his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben moved in a slow circle, his gaze sliding across the street and shops. He wondered if the others were here too, if they could keep them safe. Five, however, was more vocal in his inquiries. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And where are we now?” He asked hurriedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hazel hummed and made his way over to a nearby bench. “Dallas,” He began. “Same street. Ten days earlier. Plenty of time to restore the timeline and save them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five ran his hands through his hair for a few seconds before someone took a hold of his hand. His gaze cut to the petite blonde in front of him, and he felt his muscles relax as she took both of his hands in hers and pulled him close to wrap his arms around her waist. A moment later, her own arms came up and wrapped around his neck, holding him tightly against her as her face pressed against his neck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You need to calm down,” She whispered softly, her breath tickling the shell of his ear and her voice filling him with warmth. “We’ll be okay. There’s four of us here, more than enough to figure it out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She pulled back then, to stare into his cold and razor-sharp green eyes, a stark contrast to the kind warmth mirrored in her chocolate-brown ones. This didn't faze her, though. He’d always been closed off and cold, except for when he was with her. His appearance rarely changed, though, she could just see through it now. Her lips pulled into a smile as she saw the understanding in his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” He murmured a moment later, his hands migrating to her hips as he leaned down to press a quick kiss to the corner of her mouth. A moment later, they parted and joined Hazel on the bench, Ben following seconds later. “So, where do we start?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hazel scoffed, earning a frown from Ben. “We? You’re on your own, pal. I’m just here to keep a promise to Agnes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia, Five, and Ben all shared a confused look at that. The only Agnes either of them knew of was the kind waitress at Griddy’s, the one who never asked questions when they’d snuck out as kids and with a memory so bad she wouldn’t recognize them now. They turned back to Hazel just as the man continued to speak. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She was a waitress before I came along at least. Then we both worked at a bird sanctuary.” He paused and swallowed. “She was the love of my life,” His eyes moved to Letitia and Five. “Kinda like you and Blondie, old-timer.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes widened. “Is she…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dead?” Five nodded and Hazel hummed. “Yeah, cancer. Took her quick.” He took a deep breath and shook his head. “But we had 20 good years together. I guess forever just wasn’t in the cards.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pity for the man lanced Letitia in the chest. She’d lost Five before, but the idea of him dying and leaving her behind with only twenty years together was horrific and unbearable to imagine. Suddenly, she stiffened and looked over at Five as his hand found hers and squeezed it tightly. Of course, he had lived through that. He’d had sixteen years with her, and then in the span of five minutes he lost her for forty-two years. Letitia sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder gently, her own hand tightening around his. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Hazel,” Five offered in condolences, one that Letitia and Ben echoed a moment later. “What about the Commission?” He then asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hazel quirked an eyebrow in response. “I quit those assholes, remember? Don’t owe ‘em the fuzz off my peaches.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben opened his mouth to ask a question but froze when he spotted a trio of men moving towards them. They had pale features, with blue eyes and white hair to complete a Nordic look, and wore rugged blue outfits. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who the hell…?” He trailed off, his eyes widening as he watched them pull out guns. Hazel, Letitia, and Five’s eyes widened as they landed on the men too. “Shit!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Run!” Hazel ordered, his hands pushing the briefcase, a small box, and a letter towards the trio. Letitia frowned at the box in her hands while Ben quickly shoved the paper into his pocket.“Find Elliot at the alleyway between Commerce and Knox!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes widened. “What do you mean-?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Hazel’s last words were soon cut short. A yelp escaped Letitia as bullets shot through the air to dive into Hazel’s torso, sending spurts of blood all over the bench and on Five’s clothing. Seconds later, her hand joined Five and Ben’s on the briefcase, sending them flying through space until they landed behind a car, the briefcase smoking between them. Screams echoed in their wake as pedestrians scrambled to get to safety.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How many times did I say “bulletproof briefcases”?!” Five spat coldly as he glared down at the briefcase. Letitia took a deep breath and slowly straightened to peek over the hood of the car, noting the trio still looking for them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dearest,” Five looked up at the pet name, “Maybe we worry about the assassins and deal with the briefcase debacle later?” She suggested. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I like that plan,” Ben offered, earning a soft giggle from Letitia that elicited a smile of his own. “That seems like a very safe plan.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five rolled his eyes and shoved the briefcase into Ben’s arms before joining Letitia, his head peeking out as his hand came up to pull her down and out of sight. “I’d rather not lose you to a stray bullet,” He explained as he caught sight of Letitia’s peeved expression. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I could just take care of them right now,” She offered. Five shook his head once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hiding is more important than-” His eyes widened as they locked with those of the leader. “Dammit!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben’s eyes widened as bullets scraped against the metal of the car, shattering windows and sending fear and adrenaline coursing through his veins. Screams echoed once again, and soon enough Five’s hand wrapped around his wrist. A gasp escaped him, one that was cut off as he slammed into the roof of a nearby building, the motion knocking the wind from his chest. Beside him, Letitia lay on Five’s chest, her eyes narrow and her senses in overdrive. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That was too close,” She murmured. Five sighed and slowly sat up, his arms tightly wrapped around her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We need to be as undetected as possible,” He explained. “If they’re with the Commission, then we need to make sure they don’t send more than them. So, we’ll just have to keep them busy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought Vanya killed the Commission agents, though,” Ben pointed out as he slowly sat up, his body unhappy at the sudden pain in a way he hadn’t felt since he’d died the first time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shook his head. “That was only a small amount of them,” He explained. “The Commission covers all of history, past, present, and future, so they’ll have a far larger army than the one we encountered as backup.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia scowled at that. “Well, that’s problematic,” She remarked while wriggling away from Five to straighten up her appearance. “At least we don’t have to deal with the Handler anymore.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben shuddered. “Agreed,” He mumbled while Five slowly peered over the side of the roof to watch the assassins as they walked away. “That woman is… Satan incarnate.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Satan wishes he could be like her,” Five muttered while turning back to his brother and lover. “Now, we need to move and we need to move quickly.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded and stood alongside Five while Ben followed a few seconds later. Then, with linked hands, the three of them vanished from the roof and reappeared in a dark alleyway. Five reached up and carefully adjusted his tie as he walked further into the alleyway beside Letitia, with Ben a foot behind them. In hindsight, it was greatly reminiscent of how the two of them would walk around Letitia when in public. All they needed was Klaus to take her other side. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A pang of worry stabbed Five as he thought of his younger brother. Had he survived? Was he also in Dallas? Did he have Dave or had they been separated? He had no clue, and not knowing things angered him most aside from the idea of anyone trying to take his darling from him. So, with a tense expression, he scoured the walls of the alley with his eyes until they landed on a figure behind a set of thin curtains. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There you are,” His lips curled into a grin, and before Letitia and Ben could react he teleported past the door, shoving it open a second later. “Come on, I think Hazel’s contact is up there.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure?” Ben asked as he followed Letitia and Five. “All we have is a name and a location, which we’re in right now. We don’t know who this ‘Elliot’ is.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, Ben,” Letitia urged as Five linked his arm with hers. “We’ll be okay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their brother swallowed before nodding and slowly following them up the stairs to a second floor, where two doors stood. Five’s gaze flicked between the two of them, one labeled with a plaque stating, “Mortimer Gussman, D.D.S” and the other devoid of any labels. With narrowed eyes, he took another step forward and knocked on the former, his lip quirking into a smirk when the other door opened in response. In the threshold, a mousy man with messy brown hair, frown-induced wrinkles, and dark eyes with bags hanging from them stood, glaring at the trio. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you want?” He demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s smirk grew. “Hi, we’re selling encyclopedias for our youth group. I was curious if-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia raised an eyebrow as the man slammed the door shut in Five’s face before rolling her eyes and quickly raising her leg to slam her foot into the door, forcing it to swing open. A short shout of surprise echoed from the other side as the man paled and ran away from the doorway. Five raised an eyebrow at his lover, who shrugged. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He was rude,” She offered as an explanation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben sighed. “That doesn’t mean you can break doors,” He reminded her, earning an affronted expression. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll allow it in this case,” Five interjected, sending a teasing smirk at his now smug lover. “After all, it definitely helped and I didn’t have to use a jump.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A grin spread over Letitia’s features. “See? I was helpful,” She boasted with a wink in Ben’s direction, earning an eye-roll in response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good for you, now let’s go and deal with the terrified man,” He suggested. Five hummed and nodded before striding inside, at which point he turned to see the man brandishing a paring knife towards them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You from the Pentagon? Huh?” The man cried out, his eyes wide and unhinged as he regarded the trio. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scoffed. “Definitely not.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man’s eyes narrowed into a glare. “CIA?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” Ben chimed while turning and grabbing an apple from the man’s kitchen counter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“FBI?” The man wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia scoffed. “Of course not, they’re complete assholes,” The man’s mouth opened. “And don’t say KGB, or I’ll punch you in the face as repayment for the idiocy you’ve displayed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five smirked and pointed at the man’s table, where a pot of coffee sat. “Is that fresh?” He didn’t wait even a second for the man to respond before teleporting to the table, eliciting a yelp from the man.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How- How did you?!” The man stuttered in terror. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought you didn’t want to waste a jump,” Ben piped up as he took over-exaggerated steps over to the same table, reaching it in seconds, his eyebrows raised and his lips tilted up in a smirk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A soft laugh escaped Letitia while Five scowled and poured himself a cup of coffee. “He’s always had a flair for presentation,” She remarked. “And I think our new friend understands we’re not to be trifled with, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben looked over at the man and noted his shaking figure. “You’ve turned him into a chihuahua that needs to pee, Five,” He chuckled softly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes rolled in response. “I see you’ve maintained your skill in evocative imagery,” He snipped back before sipping at his cup of coffee. His eyes widened a second later and he looked up at the shaking man. “Is this Colombian?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man stuttered, his tongue twisting and stammering over his words. “It’s my own blend,” He eventually choked out, earning an appreciative nod from Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not bad,” He complimented. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia rolled her eyes at the small compliment and allowed Five to pull her from the kitchen to the open main room while Ben dashed forward to flop on a couch, a breath of relief flowing from his lips. It was so weird to feel furniture under his body, his living and feeling body. Before, everything had felt cold and metallic, even when Klaus manifested him. Sure there had been comfort in hugging his sister when he’d been able to, but it paled entirely to hugging her now that he was alive. He wondered if hugging Vanya would be as nice, or even hugging Klaus and Diego. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben was pulled from his thoughts, however, by Five continuing to speak. “You uh, ever heard of Area 51? Roswell?” He wondered as his eyes skated over conspiracy articles and a variety of machines scattering the living room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man’s eyes widened at Five’s words. “You- You’re,” He looked between Five, Letitia, and Ben, all of whom flashed bright, smug grins in response. “Hot damn!” His knife clattered on his countertop as he tossed it aside. “Whoo! See, I knew we weren’t the only ones! See, Eleanor always thought my head wasn’t screwed on tight, but… but it’s all true, yeah? UFOs, crop circles…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, the truth is out there,” Five joked, earning an elbow to the ribs from Letitia. His teasing smile dimmed, however, when the man took several steps over and forced him to move Letitia behind him while Ben sat up, his hand resting on the zipper of his jacket</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, no, no, no, no,” The man mumbled, “The… The truth, it’s… right here in front of us.” His hands shook as they reached out for Five, eliciting a glow from Letitia’s hands as she readied her defenses. “Tell me, wh- why is it always an anal probe?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben couldn’t hold back the snicker that escaped him a moment later, and soon enough Letitia joined him in laughing while Five fought his own laughter in favor of glaring at the man. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Any closer and I’ll melt your brain,” He threatened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man blinked a few times. “He needs a little space,” He quickly back away, his voice frantic mumblings still, “Yes. I’ll be over here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“All those contraptions on the roof, you built those, right?” Five continued a moment later while Letitia moved out from behind him to plop down on the couch beside her brother.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah, yeah, sure did. Yeah, I’ve been tracking anomalies in… in the atmosphere,” The man explained. “Just waiting.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes narrowed. “Waiting for what?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“For you, any of you,” Letitia and Ben shared a knowing look at that while Five’s lips curled into a knowing smirk at the man’s words, “See, the last guy who owned the apartment, he left a message to give you something. Well, whichever one of you came here first, as long as you had his note.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben’s eyes widened and he quickly reached into his pocket to pull out the paper. “This is the only note we were given,” He stated as Five’s brows furrowed. “What did the previous owner look like?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, a very burly guy, said his name was-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hazel?” Letitia finished, earning a nod. “Your name wouldn’t happen to be Elliot, would it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man’s eyes widened. “Um, yes miss, that’s my name,” He replied. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia grinned. “Perfect, then you’re who we were looking for per Hazel’s instructions,” She stood from the sofa and made her way over to him. “So we’ll be needing whatever he left for us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Elliot swallowed. “Yeah, sure,” He stammered before turning and heading over to a set of drawers. “Do you have his note in exchange?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben quickly unfolded the note and nodded. “Yeah, we do,” He affirmed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Give it to him, Ben,” Five ordered as he quickly finished off his cup of coffee and moved to stand next to Letitia. His brother nodded and walked over, exchanging slips of paper with Elliot before joining his siblings. “What does it say?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia watched as Ben unfolded the paper from Hazel and raised an eyebrow when Ben looked up at Five with a grin. “Well?” She asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He gave us a map to our siblings,” Ben explained, holding out the paper to Five, who took it with ease. “Coordinates and times to jump to them, one for each of our siblings.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, that’s certainly useful,” Five remarked. His eyes narrowed as they scanned the times. “Unfortunately, we’re going to lose a lot of time rounding them up according to this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben frowned. “Would going early mess things up that badly?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Definitely,” Letitia confirmed. “Hazel has clearly planned this out, probably by request of Agnes, and if there’s anyone I’d trust about time it would be the former time traveler.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What about our own resident time traveler?” Ben pointed out, his frown deepening when Five shook his head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My method doesn’t have the best track record,” He reminded his brother. “So I’m defaulting to Hazel on this one too,” His eyes settled on the earliest time. “Which means we need to pay a visit to our resident telekinetic brother.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hummed and looked over at the clock sitting on Elliot’s desk. “Well, we’d best get a move on then.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded in agreement, his hand stowing the paper in his blazer before grabbing Letitia’s while the other grabbed Ben’s. Before Elliot could say a word, the trio disappeared from his apartment in a flash of blue light, reappearing seconds later outside a sanitarium. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh no,” Ben groaned. “What did he do?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the end, getting a visit with Diego was far easier than any of them had expected. The staff was entirely accommodating, and within minutes they were seated in a room with four chairs and a table separating one from the other three. Five took a deep breath and climbed into the center chair, Letitia and Ben moving to each side of him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This place is too clean,” Letitia remarked, her hand finding Five’s easily and squeezing it gently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm,” Five hummed. “Makes sense, they are a hospital of sorts.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben scoffed and opened his mouth to reply, but his words died in his throat as the door opened to reveal a nurse and a shaggy figure in white following him with another nurse bringing up the rear. He swallowed slowly while Letitia and Five’s eyes narrowed at their brother, who flashed a lazy smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five. Tish,” Diego nodded to each of them before freezing as his gaze landed on Ben. A Ben that was there without Klaus. “What… the fuck? Ben?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Diego,” Five interjected, hoping to avoid this explanation in favor of gleaning information. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego, however, was not nearly as cooperative. “Don’t you dare “Hey, Diego” me when our dead brother is sitting right next to you,” He snapped before looking back at Ben as he sat down across from them. “How the hell did you even come back?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A teasing smile appeared on Ben’s face, one that sent waves of painful nostalgia through Diego’s mind and body. It had been years since he’d seen that expression on his brother’s face, the last time having been two weeks before he died. Diego blinked away stubborn tears as Ben began to speak.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“In the irritating words of our sibling, “time travel’s a crapshoot”,” Ben stated with a pointed glance at Five, who rolled his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m right here, you know,” Five shot back with a glare.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben’s brow quirked upwards. “Your point?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia rolled her eyes. “Boys. Not here,” She ordered coldly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five and Ben shared a look before sighing and nodding once. Diego couldn’t hold back the small smile that appeared at the familiar interaction, one he’d seen many times between Five and Ben as well as Five and Klaus whenever they were near Tish. She’d always been good at mediating her boys. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You look good in white,” Diego looked over at Five’s words, and his nostalgia melted away to irritation at the smug grin on Five’s face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“About time you showed up,” His gaze moved to his sister, “You too, Tish.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben’s lip stuck out in a pout. “What about me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>An astonished laugh escaped Diego. “I still think I’m dreaming you up,” He admitted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shook her head. “You’re not,” She assured him. “Time travel somehow brought Ben back, Diego. He’s really here, and I don’t think he appreciates being a hallucination.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I don’t,” Ben piped up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego’s eyes narrowed and flicked over to Five. “How the hell did you bring Ben back?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair, his legs crossing lazily as he did so. “Unimportant seeing as we have no clue. Now, how’d you know we’d be back?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because that’s the kind of shit you pull,” Diego remarked. “Surprised you didn’t end up a toddler this time around, though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before Five could even begin to lunge forward, Letitia’s hand shot up and grabbed his shoulder. A soft snarl ripped from his chest, but he sat back down with a murderous glare directed towards his brother, who snickered. Diego’s laughter died, however, when he spotted the disappointed glare in Letitia’s eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Have you run into any of the others yet?” She asked coldly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego shook his head once. “No, haven’t even heard of them on the news or anything. Seems like we all got spread out, and we’ve all managed to lay low.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hummed, her glare still present. “Where’d you end up?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Miami, four years ago,” Diego replied, his eyes shining with memories as his mind drifted back to that night. “It’s been a wild ride, I can tell you that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you meet anyone?” Ben interjected with a teasing grin in hopes of alleviating the tension. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego chuckled once. “Yeah, I did,” Ben’s eyes widened as Diego quickly flashed him a glimpse of his wedding ring. Letitia and Five felt their jaws drop. “Happened just over a year ago. Wish you could’ve been at the wedding.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A small smile appeared on the blonde’s face. “Congratulations, Diego, we’re really happy for you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Tish,” Diego’s voice was a soft and gentle murmur. “I hope you’ll get to meet her, at least when she’s not trying to kill me for ending up here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes narrowed and his jaw clicked shut as their largest concern was addressed. “Speaking of, want to illuminate me on that one? What exactly did you do to end up in this place?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben rolled his eyes. “Probably some sort of vigilante business.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego winced. “You’re not entirely wrong.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A soft sigh exited Letitia’s mouth as she rubbed her temples. “Diego, who did you go after?” She demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who’s going to kill the president in eight days?” Diego replied, the hint having been plenty given how his siblings stared at him in shock and horror. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eventually, Ben found his voice and managed to stutter out a reply. “You didn’t. Diego, please tell me you didn’t kill Lee Harvey Oswald.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego grumbled disappointedly. “No, the police got to me, I spent too much time outside his house, got caught.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five felt his head tilt back in relief. “Good, that saves me a lot of potential trouble.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you-” Diego began. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia let her eyes close as Five’s head snapped back forward, his eyes sharp and glaring at their brother. “Oswald has to live to kill Kennedy or history gets unraveled and then I have to clean up the mess, or worse the Commission has to clean it up. So, no more vigilante work for you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can’t be serious!” Diego exclaimed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Diego, he is serious and he’s right,” Her eyes opened to settle on her brother, “Saving Kennedy could cause massive upheavals in the timeline, and I don’t think any of us want to deal with the Commission again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her brother scoffed. “Please, you’re just going along with him because he’s your boyfriend.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben’s eyes froze into a cold stare while his hands tightened into fists. “Hey, they’re both right, asshole. You need to stop trying to save the president and get your act together.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego rolled his eyes and leaned across the table to whisper to them. “I can do this without any of you, I hope you know that. My bars are shaved down, I can get out no problem.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five pinched the bridge of his nose at Diego’s words. “I’ll give you a better reason to escape than Kennedy. The apocalypse is coming,” He stated harshly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Again?” Letitia and Ben nodded in response. “How the hell-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Somehow, despite stopping it in the last timeline, it followed us,” Letitia murmured. “So, now we’ve got a nuclear disaster coming up, and we’re going to need all the help we can get.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What caused it?” Diego wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben shrugged. “We don’t know yet, but we’re going to figure it out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five smirked. “My best bet is an idiot with a hero-complex decided to save the president and screwed it all up,” He suggested, earning a light smack to the back of the head from Letitia. “Hey, what was that for?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No blaming the apocalypse on people yet,” She ordered. “We need more information before we can be sure it was any of us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before Five could reply, though, Diego cut him off. “Hang on, hang on. Did it work? Was Kennedy alive? Did I save him?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His other brother raised an eyebrow. “What does it matter? You’re not doing it this time around.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego scoffed. “Oh yes I am, I’m going to save him and then Five’s going to take me to Germany so I can slit Hitler’s throat with a butterknife,” He snapped before gaping as Letitia let out a groan of frustration. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jesus Christ, Diego, you can’t just alter history that way,” She remarked irritatedly. “I know, it’s awful that what happens because of those people happens, but we still can’t change that. We don’t have the right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her explanation fell on deaf ears, however, and soon Five was shaking his head resignedly. Letitia frowned as he pulled away from Diego with a disappointed expression, his hands slipping into his pockets as he did so.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s not going to listen to us,” Five muttered before standing and looking over at the nurses and security guards by the door. “Guards, my brother is plotting an escape. The bars of his cell have been shaved down.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His brothers’ eyes widened, as did Letitia’s. The guards leaped into action just as Diego went for the kill, launching himself across the table with ease. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You piece of shit!” He screamed, his arms thrashing as he attempted to throttle his brother. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five stared at him impassively as Letitia and Ben backed away from the table by order of the guards. A moment later, they joined him while a nurse entered the room with a syringe in hand. Letitia’s eyes widened in horror while Ben backed away in fear, memories of the Handler’s attack hitting him with full force. He grunted as he slumped against Letitia, his sister whispering words of encouragement as she ushered him from the room. Behind them, Five shook his head slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My brother is a very sick man, he needs all the help he can get to recover. I hope he’ll get that help here.” At the end of his words, he turned and began making his way towards the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You son of a bitch!” Diego screamed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His brother sighed. “Diego, it’s for your own good. I hope you can understand that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, Five turned and left, joining Letitia and Ben outside the sanitarium before jumping back to Elliot’s place, where a new pot of coffee sat on the table. As he poured himself a cup, Five watched with worry as Letitia sat Ben down on the sofa and began walking him through some breathing techniques. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ll be okay,” Letitia mumbled repeatedly, only stopping when Ben was calm enough to lay down on the couch, one of Elliot’s books in his hands. With a sigh, she pulled away and made her way over to Five. “I think the syringe got to him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pity for Ben entered Five’s system. “Is he okay for now?”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letitia nodded. “Yeah, he’ll be fine,” She affirmed. “We just need some time to relax, you know?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five hummed and felt his lips curl into a grin. “I can think of a way we could relax,” He offered, his hand coming up to play with her hair before trailing down her back. His smirk grew when Letitia shivered. “How does it sound?”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as Letitia swallowed before nodding once. “Good,” She managed to get out. “Very good.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay, I am so happy that I didn't have that much work these last few days cause I managed to get two chapters out pretty close to each other! That was so much fun to do, and I'm very proud of myself for achieving that. Now, I hope the rest of you enjoyed this chapter as well, and I can't wait to see what all of you thought! Have a great rest of your day and I hope everyone stays safe and healthy.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. The Frankel Footage (Part One)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ben is great at interruptions, he and Five are nasty when drunk, and Moon Boy gets a visit.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>If Ben noticed that Five was eagerly leading Letitia out from the main living area and to the bathroom, he sure as hell didn’t give any indications. Instead, the blonde and her imposing companion were able to enter the tiled room with ease, the door barely closing before Five turned and pinned her against the back of it. A strangled gasp left Letitia’s lips as Five’s hand reached up and gently pressed against the sides of her slender neck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fucking hormones,” Five growled, his eyes darkening as he stared down at her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s lips curved upwards and her hand slowly moved up Five’s thigh until it reached his straining erection. “Aren’t they a joy?” She asked teasingly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A low growl rumbled from Five’s throat. “Only if you’re lucky enough to be me,” He whispered as he leaned down to nuzzle Letitia’s hair. “With a lovely darling like you to take care of them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blonde moaned as Five’s body pressed against hers insistently, the hard line of his cock pressing against her hip through their clothes. She could feel his breathing on the shell of her ear, her own breath shuddered as Five tightened his grip on her throat. Her blood felt as if it were on fire as it coursed through her body in a fluttering wave, spreading heat to every nerve ending in her body as Five’s free hand began wandering. Every dip and crevice was traced, from her collarbone to her breasts, and then further down until he curved down the line of her waist to grip her hip roughly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A moment later, Letitia felt Five turn her around and press her up against the door, her face pressed into the wood, as his hand dove into her pants and rubbed gently at her cunt through the thin fabric of her panties. His other hand then moved from her throat to tear haphazardly at the front of her shirt until it split open to reveal her bra and milky-white skin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck, Lettie,” Five groaned into her ear, his fingers moving in feather-light strokes across her panties as he spoke. “You’re magnificent.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia keened under his ministrations, especially as Five took hold of her left breast and began kneading it expertly between his long and slender fingers. She could feel the weight of his body pressing against her, and every move he made sent her soaring into clouds of ecstasy. Her hips rolled and bucked against his own, and she relished in the feeling of his cock pressing against her ass. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>However, she didn’t get to enjoy it for long before Five pulled away to divulge her of the rest of her clothing. Her eyes widened as she stood before him, bare and flushed under the gaze of her dearest love. Five smirked at the expression and winked once before reaching up to unbutton his shirt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mind turning on the shower for me, darling?” His voice lowered to a sinful purr. “I think we need to get cleaned up before we hunt down the rest of our siblings.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes widened and her skin flushed a deeper shade of red, the sight of which made something inside Five roar with desire the longer he stared at her. She swallowed, the motion forcing Five to go still before he watched her walk past him to switch on the water. Soon enough, the rushing sound of the shower filled his ears and made his head swim as he struggled to gain enough control to take off his own clothes before pouncing on the petite blonde. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>However, his lover seemed more than happy to encourage the beast inside Five to surface as she pulled the curtain away to reveal the interior of the shower and slowly made her way into the spray of the water. Her skin glistened, her hair darkened to a deep brown with gold strands, and her chocolate-colored eyes glittered with mischief. A moment later, Letitia turned away to reveal the pale expanse of her back and ass as she reached out to grab the bar of soap resting on the shelf beside her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five was sure he had lost the capacity for higher thought. All he could hear was the pounding of his blood in his ears, all he could feel was stifling discomfort as the fabric of his uniform pressed in on him from all sides. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then it was gone. With the sound of tearing fabric and buttons bouncing on tile, Five ripped his uniform to shreds and tossed it to the ground before striding over to Letitia and gripping her shoulder tightly. Within seconds, the blonde spun around and felt the cool tiles press against her back as Five hoisted her up and pinned her against the wall. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smirked. “See something you like?” She teased, her hips shifting slightly as Five adjusted his grip. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five hissed as her glistening pussy brushed against his length, sending shivers up his spine. “Oh darling,” He whispered as he leaned down to nip and suck at the skin of her neck. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>love</span>
  </em>
  <span> what I’m seeing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>From there, the two of them devolved into a mess of wet touches, harsh love-bites, and loud moans and whimpers as the water continued to fall down around the passionate couple. However, the moment wasn’t to last as a harsh knock resounded from the door. It seemed their brother had noticed their departure, after all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, lovebirds,” Ben’s voice echoed from the other side of the bathroom door. “I know you two are still teenagers, but we’ve got more important things to do than screw like rabbits.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia bit back a giggle at the remark, while Five pulled away with a growl. “Play nice, dearest,” She crooned gently. “We do have a lot to get done, anyway.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s eyes flashed. “He should know better than to interrupt,” He snarled while lowering Letitia back to the ground. “Little </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I heard that,” Ben shouted. “Now, get dressed. I definitely don’t need to hear you two going at it so soon after being resurrected, thank you very much.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His sister snickered at the remark while Five seriously considered the amount of force it would take to stab his brother with the toothbrush sitting on the side of the sink. He didn’t have long to form a plan, however, as Letitia spoke up a moment later. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll be right out,” She vowed. “Could you be a dear and see who we’re supposed to pick up next on the list?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You got it, Tish,” Ben shouted back before moving away from the bathroom door. Once Five was sure the little cockblocker was gone, he turned back to his lover, who pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on, dear,” She murmured, “We’ve got a lot to figure out about what we’re going to do to stop the apocalypse anyway.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five sighed, unable to dispute that point. “Fine,” He grumbled. “But I’m going to have my way with you later, </span>
  <em>
    <span>darling</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia couldn’t stop the shiver that coursed up her spine if she tried. “You won’t hear any complaints from me,” She whispered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A smirk curved over Five’s lips as they exited the shower and dried themselves off. “Or course not,” He leaned down and snaked his arms around her middle, pressing her naked form against his. “After all, I never disappoint.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blush that spread across Letitia’s cheeks a moment later brought an almost unhealthy amount of smug pride to Five’s self, but he would never regret having that effect on the blonde. It was a testament to his skills, after all, and he was nothing if not prideful in those. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on,” Letitia mumbled while pulling away in an attempt to clear her thoughts. “We need to find out where we’re going next.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, alright,” Five hummed while pulling on his own clothes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once they were both decent, they made their way back out to the living room, where Ben was scratching notes onto the list of dates and times from Hazel. As they moved to take a seat on the sofa, Ben looked up and rolled his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I swear, I leave you alone for a few minutes and Letitia ends up looking like she got mauled,” He muttered with a gesture at the bite marks and bruises now decorating his sister’s neck. “Does your possessiveness never end, Five?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In response, his brother threw an arm over Letitia’s shoulders. “Nope,” He replied, with a soft pop on the last syllable. “Never has, never will.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia rolled her eyes. “You’re ridiculous,” She scoffed, but she still couldn’t hide the enjoyment she felt in being marked up in such a way. “Now,” She turned back to Ben.”Who’s next on the list and where do we have to go?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben winced. “You’re not gonna like it,” He warned. Five’s eyes narrowed. “We’ve got to get Luther next, in New York.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely not,” Five stated, causing Ben to groan. “That bastard can die in a ditch after what he did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But you said we had to follow Hazel’s instructions,” His brother reminded him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Those aren’t instructions, they’re the definition of idiocy,” Five corrected. “And before you say anything else, I’m not getting Allison back either. They worked with the Commission, against us. They have no place in our family.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five.” The boys looked over at Letitia, who fixed her lover with a stern expression. “You know our siblings, and you know the Handler. She knew she could get an advantage by going after the more gullible of our two siblings.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lettie-” Five tried. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But she held up her hand, silencing him. “I’m not saying you can’t bash their kneecaps in for retribution, I have plenty of things planned for them too, but I do know that they do possess advantages we will need to stop the apocalypse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben nodded. “Especially if the Commission is behind this apocalypse as well,” He chimed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Which they most likely are,” Letitia agreed. “Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if that crazy bitch managed to survive what Vanya did to her and is coming after us as well.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five winced at the truth behind her words. “Fine,” He spat. “We’ll pick up Moon Boy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His brother and lover snickered. “I’d pay money to see Luther’s face when you call him that,” Ben offered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I won’t need it,” Five assured him. “The joy that comes with antagonizing him is more than enough.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Agreed,” Letitia leaned into Five’s side. “The bonehead lets so much get to him, it’s hilarious!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben nodded. “Now, we can’t interact with Luther till,” He glanced at the paper, “Ten-thirty p.m. tonight. However,” He looked back up at his siblings. “What do you two say to grabbing some drinks in 1960s New York?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five and Letitia shared a look before shrugging. “Sounds good,” They decided. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A grin formed on their brother’s face. “Great!” He cheered before they linked hands and disappeared in a flash of blue light. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time ten p.m. rolled around, Ben and Five were more than a little tipsy, much to Letitia’s amusement. The two men wobbled as they walked on either side of the blonde, who couldn’t mask the fond smile on her face if she tried. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You do realize you were supposed to teleport us?” She reminded her lover, who cursed under his breath. “We’ll have to walk now, or take a cab.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five waved her off slowly. “No, no I’m fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bullshit,” Ben chimed. “If you try to jump right now, you’ll get your dick stuck in a wall or something, and then my poor sister would be left neglected.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia rolled her eyes as Five made an affronted sound. “Don’t worry, dearest, I would still love you, even without a dick,” Her eyes then moved to Ben. “Besides, brother dear, Five is more than talented with his fingers and mouth to compensate.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A disgusted gagging sound erupted from Ben as Five’s expression morphed to one of smug pride and his arm wound around Letitia’s waist. The blonde grinned at the motion and leaned against him, her cheeks turning a dusty rose as they continued walking down the street. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s disgusting,” Ben muttered as his fit subsided. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you expect anything less? Especially after sharing a wall with Lettie for most of our childhoods?” Five pointed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben shuddered. “Yeah, thanks for that reminder.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not a problem at all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Letitia interjected. “Come on, guys. We really do need to focus on getting to wherever Moon Boy is.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five grumbled. “Luther the Lunar Lunatic,” He corrected, earning a flabbergasted look from his brother. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, the alliteration is a bit much,” Ben decided. “Especially on my drunk self.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, getting drunk was both of your decisions,” Letitia hummed. “Which will make finding Luther and talking to him harder than it needs to be, I’m sure.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh please, Luther makes any interaction hard on his own, it’s not our fault.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia scoffed and lightly pat Five on the shoulder. “Whatever you say, dear. Now, can you get an idea of where the coordinates are without jumping?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five made a grabbing motion at Ben, who handed his brother the note from Hazel with ease. The paper crinkled between his fingers as his eyes darted over the numbers, occasionally glancing up to appraise their surroundings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got it,” He declared while stowing the paper in the inside pocket of his jacket. “It’s not that far, actually.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His lover and his brother nodded while following him down the streets. For the most part, they were quiet as they maneuvered through crowds of pedestrians. However, when they arrived at their destination, Ben couldn’t help but roll his eyes, a soft noise of irritation leaving him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why am I not surprised?” He wondered as he stared at the entrance of the stadium, where a large poster of Luther and another man, both wearing boxing gear, was hanging from the awning. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on,” Five urged, a dark expression on his face as protectiveness welled in his chest and began overwhelming the effects of the alcohol in his system. “Let’s get this over with.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben sighed and nodded once while Letitia’s hand intertwined with Five’s. Then, with one last shared glance, they walked into the stadium; where their ears were promptly assaulted by the sounds of screaming fans. Lights flashed across their vision as spotlights darted across the crowd and the ring, while reporters scorched the eyes of the crowd with the lights from their flashbulbs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jesus Christ,” Five squinted as he peered over the crowd into the ring. “Can you see if Luther’s fighting right now?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, I can’t see a damn thing over the lights,” Ben shouted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The cheers of fans and the sound of feet stamping on the ground overwhelmed his voice, making it just barely audible to his sister. Hundreds of bursts then crossed their vision, eliciting a pained groan from Five while Ben looked slightly green. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then we’ll need to get closer,” Letitia decided. “And maybe instate a rule of sobriety when going on missions?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scoffed. “I’m perfectly fine, thank you very much,” His eyes shifted to Ben, who was barely holding on to his sense of balance at the moment. “He’s the one you should be concerned about.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His lover smiled fondly. “I’ll always worry about you first,” She hummed before looking back out at the crowd. “Alright, let’s try and get to Luther.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>From there, everything passed in a blur of loud noise and bright lights with the overwhelming scent of beer and sweat. More than once, Ben brought the trio to a screeching halt in order to calm his stomach and avoid painting the floor with the contents of it. Five wasn’t far off from there either, with steps that wobbled and eyes that could barely focus on what was happening. By the time they actually made it to the edge of the ring, with the aid of Letitia’s powers giving the guards convenient mobility issues, the two men were just about dead on their feet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m never letting you two drink again,” Letitia vowed as she forced Five and Ben to take a seat on the ground. “I swear, you two are like toddlers.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“With the flu,” Ben added. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His sister snickered at that. “I can’t argue with that,” She then turned away and looked up at the ring, her eyes narrowing for a moment. “Hey, isn’t that one of the guys that were with Luther during the apocalypse?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s head rose from where it had been balanced atop his knees. “Yeah,” He agreed slowly, his eyes turning to slits as he watched the two men rain blows on one another. “Yeah, it is.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I guess Luther made some friends,” Ben deduced before hunching over and groaning. “Now, can we please get Moon Boy’s attention so we can get out of here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We should wait till the end of the fight,” Letitia argued. “There’s no way we’ll be able to get him to withdraw, might as well wait to see where he goes and then follow him from there.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben and Five shared a glance before they nodded slowly. “Fine,” They droned.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther let out a slow shudder as he leaned against the wall of the locker room, Murdoch and Aoife across from him while Angus hurriedly counted money in a corner. Every so often, the superhuman’s eyes would dart to the watch around his wrist and then to each of the siblings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aoife smiled sadly. “I wish you’d not worry so,” She murmured while fiddling with the edge of the sleeves of her coat. “They’re your siblings, aren’t they?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Murdoch and Angus shared a look at that. “Family isn’t an end all be all, Aoife,” Her oldest brother reminded her. “And Luther’s family seems to be one of the more dysfunctional ones.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A scoff escaped Luther. “That’s an understatement,” He muttered, the image of his youngest sister’s face flashing into his mind, red from a lack of oxygen and eyes full of fear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had no idea how bad guilt would feel until he arrived here, until he realized that all of his siblings were scattered. It was the absolute worst scenario for them, siblings that had operated as a team unit for years under the thumb of their father. For more than half their life, they had only ever known each other and life had not gotten better for them once they left. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And it was his fault. It was a miserable truth, but a truth nonetheless. He had been too caught up in not losing his purpose, saving the world from perceived danger, to understand that his siblings were the farthest thing from a threat at that moment. All they wanted was to leave, to be on their own, and his greed prevented it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Chin up, Luther,” Angus called out from the corner, forcing him to look up. “You’ll be reunited with them soon enough, I’m sure they’ll let you plead your case.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure,” A voice snarled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther turned slowly, his eyes widening as he took in the figure standing at the opposite end of the room. His brother’s fists were clenched, his eyes dark with fury, and it seemed that not even his favorite Hargreeves would be able to stop him. But the more alarming part, to Luther at least, was that this particular brother should have been dead. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ben?” He whispered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a flash of movement before a tentacle wrapped around Luther’s middle and threw him across the room. CRASH. A massive dent spread out along a line of lockers as Luther winced from the impact. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Luther!” Murdoch, Aoife, and Angus cried out in unison. Before they could move, though, the Horror quickly shoved them out of the way. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know, I didn’t think I would be the one to snap,” Ben shouted as he strode forward, Five and Letitia watching his every move from around a corner. “But then I saw you, all miserable-looking, and I realized that you haven’t suffered enough.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ben-” Luther tried, but his brother was in no mood for mercy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The wooden bench between the rows of lockers shattered as Luther’s body was thrown down onto it. Shards of wood buried into Luther’s flesh, eliciting a cry of pain. The Horror tightened its grip. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia winced and moved out to stop Ben, but Five’s hand wrapped around her wrist. She spun around to face him, her eyes narrowed. “We can’t let him kill Luther, Five!” She shouted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s grip tightened. “Let him get some of this out,” He ordered, his voice and expression equally firm as he stared his lover down. “Ben will only be worse if he can’t express his anger.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blonde turned back to look at her brothers and slumped slightly in defeat. Meanwhile, Luther coughed wildly as the Horror slammed him against each wall, every blow knocking the wind out of him before he could get his bearings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And you know, you know why you deserve this,” Ben cried out, pain and murderous rage coating his voice. “After everything you did to my family-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Our family,” Luther cut in, his eyes narrowed. “You are still my brother.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben paused, his brother’s words striking his core and alighting a fire that even Five was worried Letitia wouldn’t be able to extinguish. However, that pause was more than enough time for Aoife, who quickly drew a gun. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t do that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aoife gasped as Five appeared in front of her, a feral smile on his face and her gun in his hands. “How did you-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ben,” All three of the male Hargreeves turned to Letitia as she spoke gently. “Ben put him down.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her brother’s face contorted in a sneer. “You know what he did to us, Letitia, and you want me to-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Trust me, Ben, I would love nothing more than to break all of his bones and leave him to recover naturally,” Letitia interjected. “But, I can’t do that, and you can’t kill him. Like it or not, we need him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben stared at Letitia for a moment more before his eyes moved to Luther, and then to Five, who nodded once. And he knew that this wasn’t Five agreeing with Letitia because she was his favorite. This was him agreeing with Letitia because it was logical. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, with a dark growl, the Horror retracted, dropping Luther to the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” He took a seat on the unbroken bench, Letitia and Five moving to sit next to him with the three Irish siblings moved to Luther’s side. “Let’s get this over with.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone, I am so happy to be back with another chapter. I know that this took a while, and I am truly sorry for that, but life is the way it is sometimes. This is no different for me or any other author out there, we all end up facing struggles that take us away from writing for a while, even when we don't intend for them to happen. So, I want to say thank you for being so patient with me, and with all the other writers on this platform who have delays. We all love and appreciate our readers, more than you can imagine, and it pains us when we cannot bring you more of the world and characters you know and love. </p><p>I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I would greatly appreciate a comment on what you like, what you dislike, and any questions you have! Also, feel free to go to my Tumblr if you would like to message me and catch up or just talk about the story, my username is @ao3bakeittillyoumakeit and I hope you all have an amazing day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. The Frankel Footage (Part Two)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Not everyone wants to fight an apocalypse, a new family addition arrives, and the Frankel Footage is revealed.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Unsurprisingly, Luther was the first to break the uncomfortable silence that fell upon the group. His outgoing and controlling nature inclined him to do so, and his siblings had experienced it enough to just let him open the conversation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I owe all three of you an apology,” Luther stated firmly, his eyes locking on each of his siblings’ individually. He didn’t miss the way Letitia shrunk away from him, nor how Ben’s fists clenched and Five’s chest rumbled with a growl. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No shit,” Ben snapped, his eyes narrowed and as sharp as daggers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five’s knuckles suddenly cracked, his own hands clenched tightly. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>An </span>
  </em>
  <span>apology</span>
  <em>
    <span>?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He repeated incredulously. “No, you have several apologies to make to all of us, and even those of us that aren’t here right now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s hand came up to rest on her lover’s shoulder. “Boys,” Her voice was a warning, one that Ben and Five heeded as she turned to look at Luther. “They’re right, you need to apologize, and preferably soon so that we can get to the more important things.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s more important-?” Luther started to ask, but quickly backed down at the glares all of his siblings sent in response. “Right, apologies first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben locked eyes with Luther as he turned to face him, and waited patiently while forcing the Horror to take a backseat. It wouldn’t do them any good to finish what Ben had started, especially since they knew that all of them would need to fight off the impending end of the world. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther took a deep breath, “Ben, I’m sorry for turning against the family and causing you to disappear back in Chicago,” He declared.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And?” Letitia snapped, her eyes narrowed. Their ‘oldest’ brother flinched and nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And for not keeping an eye on you during your last mission,” Luther added. “It was my fault that you had to take on too many people at once, and it cost you your life in the process.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia moved to open her mouth once more but ultimately decided against it. She couldn’t make Luther atone to every fuck-up he had committed in the entirety of Ben’s childhood, and frankly, there wasn’t enough time for that anyways. So, she gave a nod of approval and watched as Luther’s attention shifted to Five, whose feral expression had yet to disappear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Five,” Luther’s voice was strong, but the shifting of his pupils betrayed his anxiety. He hadn’t seen much of what Five could do up close and personal, but what he had seen was more than enough to put him on edge. “I’m sorry for constantly interfering with yours and Letitia’s relationship, for working with the Commission, and for-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“General assholery?” Five quipped, his lips curved in a dangerous smirk while his hands continued to idly fiddle with Aoife’s gun. “Don’t worry, I have plenty of ideas for how to make you atone, </span>
  <em>
    <span>properly</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His voice dropped with the last word, sending shivers up everyone’s spines in such a way that Five couldn’t help the slight rush of endorphins that accompanied the reaction. He didn’t like being a killer, but by hell did he love being in control. It was an unhinged urge, to be so constantly domineering, but it gave him such a rush that he could never get tired of it. The Commission had always encouraged it, as did Letitia, albeit in very different ways, so how could anyone expect him to change his ways so late in life?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther paid no mind to the dark and twisted thoughts that everyone could see whirring behind Five’s eyes, choosing instead to use the distraction as an opportunity to face his “youngest” sister. Said sibling met his light blue gaze head-on with her own orbs of chocolate brown, unwavering, and more than willing to do whatever Five told her to do as Luther’s punishment if he messed this up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Letitia,” He started, “There’s a lot of complicated history between us.” Letitia didn’t react visibly, her powers just on the very edge of coming out. “But that doesn’t excuse anything I did to you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You would be correct,” Her voice was a monotonous drone, refusing to betray any emotions until she absolutely had to. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, I’m sorry for everything,” Luther’s voice shuddered as the image of his sister being strangled by his own hands flashed to the forefront of his mind. “I almost killed you, multiple times, recently and throughout our childhood, and I always alienated you and our siblings.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>My family</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Letitia snarled, her facade cracking slightly. “You mean my </span>
  <em>
    <span>family</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Luther. We’ve been over this many times, you’d think you’d remember this by now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther bit back his retort, knowing that no sane person who knew their history would ever call Luther a part of the family Letitia had carved out of the Umbrella Academy. Instead, he nodded in acceptance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, your family, Letitia,” He agreed, causing Five and Ben’s eyes to narrow in astonishment. “They’re your family, and I abandoned any right to a part of it a long time ago.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And, while Letitia was still infuriated, those words helped her more than Luther could ever understand. For once, he had recognized that there was a divide, an “us and them” dynamic to the Umbrella Academy that he had always tried to deny. That he and Allison in their quest for Reginald’s approval had split them apart, and that he could not do anything to change that situation. It was up to Letitia and her family to decide whether they could attempt to reconcile, and that knowledge that it was actually their choice now was more than a bit freeing. She shared a small smile with Ben and Five, whose eyes reflected her same thoughts, before turning back to Luther. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now, with that out of the way,” She sighed and stretched, “We have a slight situation.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luther frowned and leaned forward while the trio of Irish siblings shared a look of complete bewilderment behind him. The motion caught Five’s attention, and he quickly stood up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They need to leave,” He declared coldly. Luther opened his mouth to protest, but his brother was quicker. “We don’t have time to waste with three uninformed liabilities, Luther.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What did you just say?!” Aoife demanded, jumping to her feet in outrage. “I’ll not have a </span>
  <em>
    <span>child</span>
  </em>
  <span> call me a liability as if he’s the boss of every damn person on the bloody-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A flash of blue shot across her vision before Five had the girl pinned to a locker, his forearm braced against her throat. Aoife’s eyes widened, and she began to struggle, but to no avail. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aoife!” Murdoch and Angus roared, stepping forward before they each shrieked in terror, a tentacle wrapped around their middles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“FIVE,” Ben shouted. “Let her go, we don’t have time to argue right now!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A snarl erupted from Five as he snapped around to look at Ben, but his eyes met Letitia’s first. For a moment, nothing else existed except for the two of them, communicating in that unspoken way they were so fond of. He could tell how much she wanted him to just put the girl down, to get this talk over with, but his body was practically vibrating with rage. His eyes flashed with demands for blood, retribution, revenge, ones that Letitia shot down instantly with a narrowing of her gaze. So, he stepped away to stand behind her, his hand tightly gripping hers and his forehead pressed against the top of her skull so as to breathe in the scent of her hair with each breath he took. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” He muttered, “You fill them in, Ben.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His brother quirked a brow in response but didn’t argue as he put Murdoch and Angus down beside their sister, who they quickly shielded with their bodies. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, basically,” Ben drawled as he took a seat once again, the Horror retracting into his abdomen as he moved. “The world is ending again, we need to reunite the Umbrella Academy, bla bla bla-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia’s eyes narrowed to a glare before she delivered a sharp kick to the middle of Ben’s back, cutting him off as he cried out in pain. “Not the best time for a joke, Ben,” She admonished coolly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine, fine,” Ben grumbled while looking back at Luther. “Look, we already found Diego, we’ve just got to find everyone else and then figure out how to stop this damn thing cause whatever causes the apocalypse happens in about ten days.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Silence reigned for a moment, then another, and then continued on for at least three minutes. All the while, Letitia was watching Luther while Five was watching Letitia and Ben was just idly fidgeting with his fingers in hopes it would make the time move faster. Finally, Luther sighed and shook his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, but I don’t think that’s a good idea,” He decided. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a pause. “WHAT?!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone, aside from Luther, had partaken in the statement of outrage and shock, including the Cauley siblings. However, Luther seemed to believe he had ended the conversation, for he stood up a moment later and turned as if he were going to leave. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can’t be serious Luther,” Five spat, “After you’ve just admitted to being an idiot, you’re committing to being an even bigger, even worse idiot?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” Luther groaned, looking back over his shoulder at Five. “It’s that the last time we did this, we all almost died, and I don’t want to put us in that position again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Except, now, because you’re refusing to help, we’re all most certainly going to die because the world is going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>end in ten days</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Letitia shouted, drawing out her words as if she were speaking to a child. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And you and your family can do it on your own,” Luther interjected, a small smile on his face. “You guys, arguably, are the strongest group. You can do it without me, and I refuse to take the chance of screwing up and hurting you again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, before Ben could tear Luther a new asshole for continuing to be self-pitying and pretentious, Luther strode out of the room without another word. He, Five, and Letitia were alone except for Luther’s friends, who couldn’t move out of pure shock. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is he a complete idiot?” Angus suddenly demanded. “Or did I hallucinate that last part?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scoffed. “If you know Luther, you know it’s the former at least ninety-eight percent of the time he opens his mouth.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You should give him more credit,” Murdoch snapped. “He’s been here a lot longer than the three of you have, and he’s got a pretty good reason for wanting to avoid another fuck up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben shook his head. “Whatever, we tried,” He stood and turned back to Five and Letitia, whose mouths were agape at his words. “Guys, look, we can always come back for him now that we know he’s here pretty often. But we’ve got three more siblings to get in touch with, and an apocalypse to stop.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia sighed and nodded. “He has a point,” She admitted, looking to Five as he nodded begrudgingly. “C’mon, take us back to Elliot’s.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five grabbed Ben’s hand, his other arm sliding around Letitia’s waist and gripping tightly, refusing to let her fall away from them as Vanya had. The Cauley siblings watched them in shock. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait, you’re not going to try and-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Aoife couldn’t finish her sentence, for the siblings disappeared in a flash of blue light before anything else could be said. The locker room was silent, with a slight breeze emanating from where the trio had spatially jumped back across the country, and had only three terrified adults within it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A telltale squeak signaled the arrival of the Hargreeves siblings, one that sounded from Elliot as he almost dropped the coffee pot in response. Instead, Five quickly grabbed it from him and stormed into the kitchen, grabbing the largest mug he could find before forgoing it and tipping the pot back to pour the hot, caffeinated liquid down his throat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, it went well?” Elliot stammered as Ben flopped onto the couch and Letitia pinched the bridge of her nose exasperatedly. “No?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Very much not,” Ben agreed, rubbing his eyes slowly as exhaustion began to creep in. “Five, can you bring me some water? I don’t fancy having a killer hangover in the morning.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get it yourself,” Five muttered between gulps of coffee. As he drank, he idly reached his hand into his pocket and stilled when he felt a box within the sack. “What the…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia looked up at his words, watching as Five pulled out a box of film with a slightly faded label on the back. “What is it, dearest?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure,” Five admitted, taking several strides to pass it to his lover, who inspected it carefully. “Definitely film of some kind, but I couldn’t tell you what it contains.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Elliot looked over at the mention of the film. “Well, I could develop that for you,” He offered shyly. “I have a dark room, it’s how we, I mean I, have developed the photos of you all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The room slowed to a stop. “We?” Five questioned coldly. “There are more people like you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course there are,” A new voice rang out, belonging to a woman who they’d all managed to completely ignore upon arriving. “How do you think your siblings survived this long in this time?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben shot up from the sofa, he and Five immediately moving to stand in front of Letitia, who rolled her eyes fondly. The woman smiled at the gesture and stood from her chair in the corner of the room to walk over slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Diego was right about you two,” She mused with a gesture at Letitia and Five. “Always ever so protective of one another,” She frowned at the sight of Ben. “You, I don’t know, though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia frowned at her words, and slowly looked the woman over until two things caught her eye. A golden wedding band, and a leather pendant on the woman’s neck with two clear sets of initials carved into it, DH and MS. Her eyes widened and she rested her hands on Five and Ben’s shoulders, forcing them to relax. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Guys, I believe this is our sister-in-law,” She murmured, grinning when the woman opposite them nodded and winked at them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Marcella Hargreeves,” She introduced herself easily, her delighted expression never faltering. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their newest addition was a beautiful woman, it was undeniable, with thick black hair in a simple updo, thick brows that framed large ebony eyes, and a mouth that was equally capable of wit as well as smiles. Letitia moved past her lover and her brother to take Marcella’s hand in hers and shake it once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s wonderful to meet you,” Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at their newest sister-in-law. “Diego didn’t get to tell us much about you when we saw him last, but you seem as amazing as he described.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five rolled his eyes. “Okay, enough with the flattery, Lettie, we have a lot to do and no time to socialize.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia looked over her shoulder, her brow quirked questioningly. “Oh? So much to do that you two can’t come and say hello politely?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We don’t know that we can trust her, Tish,” Ben pointed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s unfair, Ben,” Letitia stated while turning back to Marcella with narrowed eyes. “For if I remember correctly, this was the woman fighting the apocalypse alongside our lovely Diego.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five and Ben shared a look as they inspected their new family member, ultimately recognizing her as that same woman. However, they were not moved to do anything further regarding their familial bond. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Elliot,” The skinny, shy man looked over at Five’s call, “Develop this for us, we need to find the rest of our siblings.” The box flew out of Five’s hand and into Elliot’s fumbling grasp. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marcella winced. “Actually,” She pulled away from Letitia to gesture at the radio, “There’s something slightly more important that we need to deal with at the moment.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five growled and spun around to storm up to her. “Look, </span>
  <em>
    <span>sister</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” He snarled. “I’ve already had one sibling act like a complete idiot, I don’t need another one-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Attention all units, we have a code 3-15 at the Holbrook Sanitarium”</span>
  </em>
  <span> The radio crackled with the voice of a police captain, rough and gravelly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia stiffened. “I have a feeling I already know the answer to this,” She started.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But what’s a code 3-15?” Five demanded, spinning back around to look at Elliot. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The conspiracy theorist looked up from the box of film and shrugged. “Fugitives on the run, not a huge deal.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Twenty-five patients still at large, many are considered armed and dangerous,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> The police captain continued. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben groaned. “The one time we tell him to stay put, and he decides to run away,” He muttered, rubbing his exhausted features with his hands. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dammit Diego,” Five growled, his hands running through his hair. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marcella sighed. “Tell me about it,” She reached into a pocket of her dress and handed Letitia what seemed to be a booklet of news articles about a vigilante killer on the streets of Miami. “Has he always been pulling stunts like this?”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Letitia laughed softly as she thumbed through the articles. “Yeah, Discount Batman,” She joked, “That's what I called him when we were kids.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her sister-in-law laughed and shook her head fondly. “Regardless, we’re going to have to pick him up before the cops do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do we though?” Ben interjected hopefully. “Cause I could really use a nap-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up Ben,” Five snapped. The exhaustion was beginning to catch up, mingling with the frustration from their encounter with Luther. “We need to go find him, </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m coming with you,” Marcella stated as Letitia walked away from her to join Five and Ben. “I need to have a few words with my husband.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five rolled his eyes, but Letitia cut him off before he could speak. “I’m sorry, Marcella, you seem wonderful, but we’ve never seen you handle yourself in dangerous situations, and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marcella scowled. “Would it help if I told you that Diego trained me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” Five’s voice was hard and cold. “Because I was a contracted assassin, Letitia can kill anyone with a snap of her fingers, and Ben can summon horrific monsters at will. We don’t need you, and you’ll slow us down.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow,” Marcella chuckled softly. “You really do lack warmth when talking to new people, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five didn’t bother to dignify Marcella’s words with a response, choosing instead to grab Letitia and Ben’s hands and disappear in a flash of blue. Left behind, Elliot and Marcella shared a look. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mind brewing another pot of coffee for me, Elle?” She asked sweetly, grinning as Elliot nodded and gestured towards the kitchen. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was after the sun had risen that Five, Ben, and Letitia managed to track down their brother, in a parked car with another woman in the driver’s seat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who do you think that is?” Ben wondered, his eyes narrowing as he attempted to get a closer look. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shrugged. “Not sure, best guess is probably another patient,” She looked over at Five, “You need to sleep when we get back, dearest. You were very rude to Marcella.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can sleep when this is over,” Five muttered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben laughed softly. “No, you can’t, because you’ll go insane after three days, and there are about nine days left before the apocalypse. Do the math, </span>
  <em>
    <span>genius</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a soft crack as Five quickly cuffed their brother over the head, a dark glare in his eyes. “Shut up,” He spat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, you two,” Letitia shouted, yanking the two of them away from each other. “We’ve got shit to do, and it’s hard to get it done with you two at each other’s throats cause of exhaustion and frustration.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five and Ben continued to glare at one another, the latter rubbing at the sore spot on the back of his head. Letitia quickly reached up and flicked both of them on the forehead. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now, let’s just grab Diego, and go back to Elliot’s, okay?” She demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A moment passed before Five and Ben each nodded. Letitia smiled and linked arms with both of them before they jumped across the road and into the back seat of the car. The move was silent, and all of them remained so as they listened to Diego speak to the woman, a petite, frankly beautiful, Indian woman with sharp features and ebony hair that went to her shoulders.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then why are you doing this?” The woman demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A mocking laugh escaped Five as he leaned forward to smile at his brother and his accomplice. “Because he is an idiot.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego and the woman jumped, whipping around to face the trio in the back seat with wide eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who the hell are you three?” The woman breathed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hi,” Five greeted. “I’m his loving brother,” He gestured to Letitia. “This is his baby sister, Letitia,” He moved to Ben, “and our smartass brother Ben.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego scoffed. “All of whom left me to rot in the nuthouse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia quirked a brow. “You were going to escape and wreak havoc on the space-time continuum, what else could we do?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five nodded sagely. “Plus, it helped to protect you from yourself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben, however, was still looking at the woman in the driver’s seat. “And, who are you?” He asked, his voice covered in false sweetness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lila,” She stated slowly before her gaze shifted back to Letitia and Five. “And that’s equal parts sweet and disturbing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia beamed at her words. “Why thank you, we do our best to leave an impression,” She jested. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego rolled his eyes. “Okay, all of you, out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lose the crazy lady and come with us,” Five ordered, ignoring Lila’s affronted expression. “We have important business.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I am not going anywhere with you three,” Diego muttered, turning away from Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s fine,” Letitia moved to open the door, “We’ll just let Marcella know that you’ll be delayed due to an ill-advised vigilante mission and a lovely lady.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego stiffened. “What?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five grinned at Letitia, who winked in reply. “Well, you see, our lovely new sister-in-law showed up where we’ve been hiding out, and I’m sure she would like to know why her husband hasn’t decided to stop being an idiot for long enough to join us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben snickered. “Oh man, you’re really in for it now,” He managed to say between giggles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Besides,” Five leaned forward as he continued speaking. “I hear there’s a reward out for you two, and for quite a nice amount,” He leaned back. “Darling, how much is ten-thousand dollars in 1963 money worth back home?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia hummed as she did the math in her head. “Oh, about eighty-thousand, give or take a few grand.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A low whistle escaped Ben’s lips. “That’d be pretty nice to have once we get Klaus, Vanya, and Dave back,” He pointed out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Exactly what I was thinking, brother mine,” Five drawled, a cocky smirk stretching his lips as he continued staring at Diego. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a pause as Diego weighed the pros and cons, but then Lila spoke. “He’s bluffing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s not,” Diego sighed. “Fine. I’ll go with you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia grinned. “Great, at least we’ve still got Discount Batman,” She cheered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“God, Tish,” Diego groaned. “Will you stop calling me that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben laughed. “Once you stop acting like Discount Batman, we will.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lila frowned. “So, you're going with them?” Diego nodded. “What about me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five opened his mouth to protest but didn’t get a chance before Diego cut him off. “And I’m bringing the crazy lady.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The trio in the backseat shared a look, more than a bit apprehensive about this arrangement, but they didn’t have enough leverage to deal with how stubborn Diego was acting at that moment. So, they agreed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” Five muttered. “But she can’t slow us down.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t even worry about it, schoolboy,” Lila teased. “Now, where are we going?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five moved to do a spatial jump, but Letitia shook her head. “No, you need to save your energy,” She pointed out. “Let her drive us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her lover sighed. “All right,” He looked back to Lila. “Go to the alleyway between Commerce and Knox, I’ll give you directions.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lila nodded, and a moment later they were off, down the winding roads of Dallas.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>UA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When they arrived at Elliot’s place, none of them were expecting to be greeted by a gun to their faces. However, that was what awaited them, alongside a furious and terrified Elliot that seemed one moment away from shooting any one of them. He stormed across the living area of his apartment, sweat covering his face and spit flying from his mouth as he shrieked and shouted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where did you get the film?” He demanded, brandishing the gun at the siblings and Lila. “‘The Frankel Footage’. The </span>
  <em>
    <span>truth</span>
  </em>
  <span> this time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know this lunatic?” Diego wondered with a disturbed lance in Elliot’s direction. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five shrugged. “New acquaintance. He’s harmless.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure about that?” Lila asked slowly, taking a tentative step away from the group. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, harmless to us,” Letitia clarified. “Especially with me here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lila scoffed. “Well, aren’t you confident?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s got a good reason to be,” Ben pointed out before looking over at Letitia. “Mind clearing up this issue for us, sister dearest?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five grinned and gestured for Diego to take a step back. “Just be gentle with him, darling,” He advised. “I’d rather not have to deal with an inconsolable wreck of a conspiracy theorist today.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia shrugged. “Whatever you say dearest,” Her lips curved to a sweet smile as she looked to Elliot. “Now, Elliot, would you please put down the gun before I have to hurt you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I will not!” Elliot cried out, fury continuing to mount in his eyes. “Now, answer me! Are you or are you not an enemy of the people?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Hargreeves siblings shared a look before they all gave a communal shrug in response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Such an open-ended question,” Diego started. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, really depends on the people,” Five agreed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Guys,” Ben drawled. “Maybe, just maybe, we don’t antagonize the guy with the gun pointed at us?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His sister rolled her eyes. “Oh please, that’s a non-issue,” She sighed as she brought her hands up, a yellow glow beginning to form around them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You move one more muscle, I will blow your brains out!” Elliot shouted, fear filling his voice as Letitia took a step closer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Elliot, this is your last chance,” She warned. “Put down the gun.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a click, and then a bang, and then the sound of broken floor tiles crunching below a pair of shoes. Elliot wailed in pain as he fell to the ground, his dislocated elbows forcing his arms to hang limply from his side. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five sighed as he spatially jumped across the room, grabbing the gun with ease and popping the other bullet out of the weapon with ease. “You should’ve taken her advice, buddy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um, guys… What the hell just happened?” Lila demanded as she stared at Letitia and Five with renewed horror. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think we’d all like to know the answer to that question.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marcella’s voice rang out, calm and clear as a bell from where she stood beside the back door to Elliot’s place. In her hands was a box of donuts, the sides of which were almost crumpled from her tight grip, betraying her anxiety. Then, her eyes settled on Diego, who paled and smiled fearfully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hi, M- Mar-” He started, slowly walking towards her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>However, his wife wasn’t having any of it. Instead, she stormed over to him and quickly flicked the side of his ear before smacking him upside the head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“¿Entiendes lo preocupada que he estado?!” Marcella demanded, immediately launching into Spanish as she grabbed the front of Diego’s collar, yanking him up to meet her eyes. “Destrocé Miami buscándote durante semanas, ¿y has estado aquí todo este tiempo?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben bit back laughter as the scolding continued, making his way over to his siblings as quietly as possible. “I told him he was in for it, didn’t I?” He muttered to Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That you did,” Five agreed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia grinned. “Aren’t you glad I didn’t do that when you came back?” She wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five winced, knowing exactly how angry and violent Letitia could be in an argument. “Yes, darling, very much so.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally, it seemed Diego had managed to wiggle his way out of Marcella’s grasp enough to start apologizing. “I’m sorry, Marcie,” He pleaded. “I just saw an opportunity to save the President, and I took it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Without telling anyone in the family?” Marcella shouted. “My brothers were </span>
  <em>
    <span>this close</span>
  </em>
  <span>” She pinched her fingers together, barely a millimeter of space between them, “To tracking you down themselves so they could beat you for this stupidity!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t want to risk your-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare try and tell me you wanted to ‘keep me safe',” Marcella’s eyes blazed as she flicked Diego’s ear once again. “You know as well as I that that is a </span>
  <em>
    <span>bullshit</span>
  </em>
  <span> excuse!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia and Five shared a look before sighing and walking over to the couple. Within seconds, they had yanked Diego away from Marcella and moved to stand between them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, you two need to calm down,” Letitia advised. “We really don’t have time for relationship disputes if we want to get ahead of the apocalypse as soon as possible.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But-!” Diego and Marcella cried out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five quickly pointed at the both of them. “Cut. It. Out,” He ordered. “We have footage to watch, and it can’t really wait.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben raised his hand. “Question,” He smiled as everyone looked over at him. “What are we going to do about Elliot?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia winced and quickly turned to Elliot. “Crap, forgot about that for a moment,” She admitted while looking him over. “Well, we can’t let him run off.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, he’ll turn us over to the first policeman he can find,” Diego agreed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Police? Try the FBI,” Five interjected. “Ben, tie him down to a chair somehow. He doesn’t need more injuries.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben nodded and quickly went to grab some ties from Elliot’s closet before moving him into a chair, the fabric quickly tying him down with ease. “Mind healing him now, Tish?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His sister nodded and quickly undid the dislocation. Elliot let out a groan, his posture relaxing almost instantly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right then, shall we watch the film?” Ben wondered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Five agreed before turning back to Diego and Marcella. “Can you two behave yourselves for at least as long as it takes to watch it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The couple glared at each other but ultimately agreed. With a sigh of relief, Five led the group into the living room of Elliot’s place and began setting up the projector with the film. Everyone took seats around the room, with Letitia choosing to stand on the side of the projector with Five while Lila unearthed an old bottle of nail polish. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you…?” Diego started, but sighed when Lila began painting Elliot’s nails. “Fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marcella quirked a brow at the presence of the other woman. “How did you convince this one to help you escape?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego shrugged. “Don’t know, but she was definitely helpful.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Guys, hush,” Letitia ordered as the film began to flicker and play on the wall opposite the projector. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>An elderly woman suddenly appeared on the wall, standing on a spread of grass near a road. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Is it on?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>She asked, looking at someone behind the camera. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I don’t know,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Said a man, prompting the woman’s face to pinch with frustration. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“What do you mean ‘you don’t know’? There’s an ‘on’ button. Just- There’s something over- that jigga-ma-thing, whatever.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I hit the jigga-ma-thing.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben chuckled as the footage continued. “Why am I seeing an eerie parallel to our lovely Five and Letitia?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five rolled his eyes. “Yes, cause the old man jokes continue to be so original,” He drawled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letitia smiled sweetly and rested her head on his shoulder. “Don’t worry,” She whispered. “I love you no matter your age. You’ll always be my Five.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And, despite refusing to show it, Five felt his heart melt a little at that. He knew Letitia loved him dearly, cherished him more than anyone or anything else, but there were times he was self-conscious of his age. He was so much older than her, seen so many horrible things, and yet she still welcomed him as if they were both sixteen again. Five sighed and allowed himself to press a kiss to the top of her head before turning back to the film. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Okay, well, just- Give it to me, give it to me. I know how to do this.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> The woman grumbled, shuffling over to the man holding the camera quickly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“All right, here. Here. Hurry up.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> The man sighed while the camera’s view spun and jerked from side to side as it was passed over to the woman and adjusted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Okay, all right, let’s see…” </span>
  </em>
  <span>The woman mumbled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re so cute,” Lila sighed adoringly between coats of lime green nail polish. “I love old couples. I’m always so proud of them for not murdering each other.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then someone had better give Five and Letitia a medal,” Ben quipped, winking at Five. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego rolled his eyes. “Haha, very funny, Ben,” His gaze moved to Five, “Why are we watching this?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shush.” The order rang loud and clear from Five, who continued watching the film with narrowed eyes. Finally, the camera moved to reveal the man from before, smiling happily in front of the camera. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Yeah, I- I’m Dan Frankel. And-”</span>
  </em>
  <span> He looked to his wife with a loving grin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A moment later, she spoke up. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m Edna Frankel.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Edna Frankel. We are in Dallas, Texas, to see the president. Today’s date is November 22, 1963.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lila’s eyes snapped back to the screen, her brows furrowed. “Well, that’s six days from now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego’s breath left him in a sudden exhale, while Marcella frowned confusedly. “Holy shit. This is it. The grassy knoll. Kennedy’s about to get shot.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“¿En serio?” Marcella breathed, her eyes wide. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How do you have this?” Diego demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five swallowed, guilt gnawing at him as he thought of his now-dead almost-friend. “Hazel died to get me this footage. It must be the key to stopping doomsday.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hazel?” Diego’s expression turned sad. “That’s a shame, he was really helpful in getting me to catch up to Tish, back in Columbus. How did he-?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Long story,” Five interjected. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s doomsday?” Lila wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Longer story,” Letitia explained shortly, noting how tense Five had become. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What exactly did he say to you?” Diego was impatient, needing answers and needing them now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five hummed and refused to look away from the film. “Well, he was killed before he could explain. But whatever he wanted us to see, it’s on this film.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“This is very exciting,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Dan cheered, beaming at the camera. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then it happened. Shots rang out, and pandemonium erupted on the film. People ran back and forth, screams echoed from the background. Letitia winced and shook her head pityingly. Even being indirectly involved as these bystanders were, shootings were still traumatic. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oswald,” Diego muttered hatefully, glaring at the film. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Five wasn’t registering anything being said. Instead, his eyes were tracking one figure in particular. It was almost impossible to make it out, but Five knew in his soul that his hypothesis was right. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh no…” He groaned, causing Letitia to look at him worriedly. “This can’t be.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, you gonna fill me in now, boys? What the hell is this shit we’re watching?” Lila demanded, but she was ignored. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Instead, Five hurriedly wound the footage back and paused it, horror and rage filling his body as he pulled the projector back, zooming in on one person in particular. Letitia’s eyes widened as she spotted the detail, her breath freezing in her throat. Ben was the next to see it, and jumped to his feet, enraged. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking kidding me</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Ben growled, storming over to the screen to glare holes through the film. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sadly, that’s completely real,” Letitia whispered, bile rising in her throat as she moved to join Ben in regarding the figure. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diego frowned and made his way over with Five, but stiffened as soon as he spotted it. “No, that’s impossible.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Five scoffed. “Clearly, it’s not.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Elliot’s voice, muffled by a gag, resounded from behind them. “What- What is it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And when all of the Hargreeves siblings responded simultaneously, it sent chills running up their spines. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dad.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone! I hope you're all doing well, and that the pandemic has continued to treat all of you as nicely as possible. </p><p>Unfortunately, my school has only served to be more difficult this semester, meaning I have had less time to write than I had previously anticipated. This is to be expected in the future, as I am pursuing both a double major and a double minor in subjects that are relatively complicated. However, I will still always do my best to bring all of you new content whenever I can. So, thank you for being patient and kind to me during all of this. </p><p>Regarding the episode, I did cut the chapter off before the actual end of this episode. However, I believed it was a good spot compared to what I had before, and the rest of the Frankel Footage will be covered in the next chapter. </p><p>Please let me know what you think, I'm dying to hear feedback so that I can continue making this a story that my lovely readers can enjoy, and have a wonderful rest of your day.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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